Pictured in 1924, the Electric Service Company provided factory repair service for cars, including ignitions, starters, and generators. Also pictured next door is the 3-story Prospect Lodge, No. 38, I.O.O.F. (Independent Order of Odd Fellows), a non-political and non-sectarian international fraternal order founded in 1819 and still in existence today. They were called odd fellows, according to their website, because when established, it was odd to find a group of men organized to give aid to those in need.

In 1926, Allen J. Simms built the 18-story Beaux-Arts-inspired, limestone-clad Floridan Hotel. He also built the Cass Street Arcade across the street. When it was built, it was the tallest structure in the city and Florida’s first skyscraper. Simms, who made money in subdivision land development, including New Suburb Beautiful and Parkland Estates, opened the hotel to cater to business travelers. In its heyday from the 1920s to the 1950s, it hosted celebrities, crime bosses, and local business leaders. In 1966, it closed to travelers and opened to renters, but the property continued to decline. Just missing the wrecking ball in 2005, the building was purchased by hotelier Tony Markopoulos, who completed a 7-year detailed restoration and reopened it as the Floridan Palace. It was sold again in 2021 for $ 22.5 million. In 2024, Hotel Hilton and Resorts added it to its Tapestry Collection and renamed it Hotel Flor after a $25 million renovation.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved