Work is underway at New Port Richey's historic Hacienda Hotel to bring it back to its original glory.
Construction workers are demolishing additions to the building made after the hotel was built in 1926. The hotel changed hands and roles throughout the decades and was even an assisted-living facility.
Mario Iezzoni, the economic development director for New Port Richey, said the work is done carefully. He said it's important to preserve and repair everything original — and chip away at anything that is not.
"Removing a nonconforming addition is what you see right now with all the construction," Iezzoni said. "Then, the last part will be to repair a lot of the areas that might have been damaged back to its original form."
Construction workers recently removed a bathroom that was added on when the building was an assisted-living facility. Workers were able to reveal one of the original entrances with its original steps.
"The original stairs are there," Iezzoni said. "There are about four historic steps there. We're just really excited to have that revealed."
The restoration is a process, and some changes had to be made to ensure the building is safe. The roof needed 750 hurricane ties to help stabilize the building and bring it up to code.
"A lot of money is going into the roof," Iezzoni said. "So, while we wanted to try to get some windows and doors in, we're going to have to look to either the developer or the next phase of this building."
The first phase is expected to be completed by June 1. By then, all of the additions to the building will be gone, and any structural issues will have been addressed. Then, the Hacienda will go to a developer who will work on the inside to make it a hotel again.
"It's one step at a time with this property," Iezzoni said. "And what we're doing right now is the first big step."
City officials hope the hotel will be ready for its first guests within three years.