Alcazar Hotel- Cleveland Heights, OH
Although far past its prime, and no longer a hotel, the Alcazar undeniably has good bones. Although somewhat sad these days, you can catch glimpses of its past grandeur, and imagine how impressive it was in its heyday, when it hosted guests such as Cole Porter, Bob Hope and George Gershwin.
Today, the Alcazar is a lower tier apartment building, which has the feel of a rooming house. Although it clearly has been restored in recent years, it is decidedly shabby. No chic. That said, the original architecture is absolutely amazing. Built in 1923 in the Spanish Moorish style, by Harry T. Jeffery, a Cleveland Architect, the hotel mimicked the Saint Augustine hotel of the same name, as well as its stylish neighbor, the Hotel Ponce de Leon. Truthfully, both of those hotels are stunning, and worthy of emulation.
Construction of the hotel took almost two years, and over $2 million dollars. Built in the shape of an irregular pentagon, with a central courtyard, the interior boasted color glazed tiles similar to those found at the Alcazar in Seville, Spain, decorative plasterwork, wrought iron grills, and a gold fish fountain.
Considered a residential hotel, the owners targeted wealthy Clevelanders, as well as travelling entertainers. It featured an upscale restaurant and lounge on site, as well as a ballroom, which hosted events for the areas elite residents.
By the late 1950s, the building suffered from deferred maintenance issues; the wealthy residents moved away, and in 1963, the property was purchased by the Christian Scientists as a retirement home. In 2014, it was sold to a reality company, who updated the space, and returned it to rental units.
Although it has a neglected air about it, you can certainly tell how grand the property once was, and the details will impress any architecture aficionado. Located in a leafy historic district just outside Cleveland, the details are definitely worth the detour.
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