Soreno Hotel

     The Soreno Hotel was under construction beginning in 1923. Geoffrey Lloyd Preacher was the assigned architect for this hotel. Named after its owner Soren Lund's son, the hotel was opened to the public in 1924. In 1929, the seventh floor was created, which allowed the hotel to maintain 300 rooms.          
     The hotel's demolition proved to be extremely controversial. For instance, the locals felt their desires and feelings about the hotel were neglected, as the hotel was demolished upon faulty reasoning. The initial purpose of demolishing the hotel was never carried out, as the citizens in the area claimed that the building was torn down for no legitimate reason.
     Formerly known as the Soreno Hotel, the Florencia took over the grounds of the former hotel. It became a condominium location in the heart of St. Petersburg. In remembrance of the Soreno Hotel, there is a fountain at the back-side of the Florencia that has the Soreno's logo written along its surface. Also, this logo, the coat-of-arms, was placed on many of the Florencia's dining dishes.
     Many features of the old Soreno Hotel were mirrored in the new building. The entirety of the old hotel's decorations revolved around a Mediterranean style of architecture. Features of the old hotel included a clay tiled roof, stucco, arched entrance, and sqraffito decor. The new hotel mimicked this sense of style and also included a remodeled room based on the old hotel's famous Park Room.