A year and a half after being announced, the Cordova Inn’s planned expansion has broken ground. 

The owners of the historic boutique hotel, New Hotel Collection and TDZ Capital Partners, held a ceremonial groundbreaking this morning at the hotel, which is located at 253 2nd Avenue North in downtown St. Pete.

The five-story expansion will more than triple the number of available rooms from 32 to 97 while also adding a restaurant to the first floor and a 5th-floor rooftop bar.

Between the old and new wings will be a lushly landscaped mid-block courtyard. Both the courtyard and porch will be open to anyone, whether they are staying in the hotel or not. The addition will also expand the front porch of the Cordova Inn into a dramatic wraparound balcony with lush streetscaping.

Tim Clemmons and Greg Glenn of PLACE Architecture designed the expansion with Neoclassical Revival elements, paying homage to the history of the building, which was built in 1921 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Embracing the heritage of the building has been part of the owner’s goal from day one.

“We want our guests to feel as though they are stepping back in time,” Tommy Del Zoppo, co-owner of New Hotel Collection, told St. Pete Rising in March 2021 prior to the opening of The Scott, the hotel’s lobby bar.

In addition to Del Zoppo, New Hotel Collection is led by Alex Hodges. The company also owns Beachside Resort in Indian Shores and the Central Hotel in Sevierville, Tennessee, along with a hotel inside Harbourside Resort in Indian Rocks Beach.

The development team for the Cordova Inn’s expansion is entirely based in Tampa Bay.

The project’s architect is PLACE Architecture, known for designing local multi-family developments such as The Salvador, Bliss, and The Nolen, in addition to some of St. Pete’s favorite local businesses, like Paradeco Coffee Roasters, Grand Central Brewhouse, and Book + Bottle.

Reno Boyd Building Co. has been hired as the project’s general contractor. The firm’s portfolio is highlighted by popular St. Pete restaurants like Allelo, Baba, and Datz. 

B2 Communications is working with New Hotel Collection on public relations and marketing, Firstar Bank is providing financing for the expansion, and Hill Ward Henderson is the project’s land use and zoning attorney.

The expansion is expected to complete by the end of 2024.