Visions for Vacancies: What Would Suit Hacienda Hotel?
What do you want to see here?
Photos
Vacant spaces are a problem for a community. It's especially bad if they're right in the main throughway of your city.
Patch wants to know what you think the solution can be.
Today, we’re looking at the Hacienda Hotel, a historic landmark on Main Street. Who owns it? New Port Richey city government and taxpayers do.
In 2003, the city's Community Redevelopment Agency agreed to buy the Hacienda. The Hacienda had opened as a hotel in 1927, but was being used only as an assisted living facility at the time of the city's purchase of the building.
The building has sat vacant since 2006.
Community Development Partners had expressed interest in renovating and expanding the property, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is unclear what's going on with those discussions now.
What would you like see happen to the Hacienda? Let us know in the comments section.
Carla Gibson
5:40 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I admit that I don't keep up with the local news that much, so please pardon my ignorance asking this question .. wasn't this discussed before? Doesn't a company already have plans in place to change the the original look of the Hacienda and turn it into some sort of updated spa / hotel?
If the Hacienda is on the National Register of Historic Places I don't see why it would be turned into anything but it's ORIGINAL condition .. inside & out. If it's turned into ANYTHING other than it's ORIGINAL condition, I don't see how it can stay on the National Register.
Alex Tiegen
5:42 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Hi Carla, Community Development Partners has been talking about redeveloping the Hacienda for years, but they have yet to reach a deal with the city.
Jenna Palmer
9:03 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I think it would make a beautiful wedding venue!
Balee
8:07 am on Thursday, November 1, 2012
I would like to see a Bed & Breakfast go in there. With all the commercial motel/hotels on 19, it would be refreshing to see this type of establishment. Downtown NPR would benefit financially from it's location, also.
catrina hopkins
10:20 am on Saturday, November 3, 2012
Seeing as it used to be an asylum and that people tell stories of it being haunted, I think they should take some of the ideas from each of your readers. It needs to keep a lot of its original charm to stay interesting as a local landmark and a bed a breakfast would be great there. But why not start doing haunted tours? They could also put a small shop on the backside for people that would be easily accessible for folks at the park to be able to come in and buy a quick snack or drink? As a bed and breakfast, then it could also become a great place to have weddings with lodging available for the guests. The idea is to maximize the use of the property and make it available to the greater number of people.
Sarah Peterson
7:58 pm on Sunday, November 11, 2012
I agree, with the other comments. It would be a great Bed and Breakfast with a spa and restraunt/bar in it also. There are great original photos available on fivay.org.
If the city and tax payers own it, then we should be forming a group to get the restoration process going. Does anyone know if this ever occured before? It's a beautiful building. It breaks my heart that downtown has so much potential yet business prefers the strip malls of 19?! Let's get downtown rolling again and take lessons from our neighboring cities like Safety Harbor and Dunedin, who have charming main streets.