Page 186 - John Anderson

&KDSWHU+HQU\)ODJOHU3XUFKDVHVWKH+RWHO2UPRQG

The hotel officially opened on January 30, and by March 28 Smith
was already cutting back expenses by closing off two floors and was
forced to lay off several dozen people. The hotel was sold in April
1888 to Henry Flagler and "all fixtures, furnishings, silver, hardware,
linen, bedding, parlor, hall, dining room, and kitchen furnishings and
all other chattels," for $325,000. On July 16 the name of the hotel
was changed to the Hotel Cordova. In the coming years Flagler kept
the manager of the hotel, E.N. Wilson, and in the summer of 1889,
with the assistance of O. D. Seavey, the interior of the hotel was
completely renovated in true Flagler style. Special attention was given
to upgrading the inefficient kitchen area. The hotel flourished under
Flagler’s ownership and new management. In 1902 a bridge (over
Cordova Street) was built between the Cordova and nearby Alcazar
(which is now the Lightner Museum) and the hotels name was
changed to Alcazar Annex. One year later, the two became one hotel,
advertised as the “enlarged and redecorated” Alcazar.

174