downtown tampa embassy suites
The Embassy Suites looks about done, doesn’t it? Actually, there’s a good bit of interior work still remaining. But the hotel is accepting reservations for 1 August this year.
Just as with every other project I’ve discussed so far, this hotel originally had a much earlier opening date. But like the Trump Tower (and every other skyscraper downtown), Embassy Suites had to sink caissons down to the bedrock.
Remember when the Selmon Expressway collapsed in 2004? The pilings had been inserted into a layer of false bedrock, which gave way. Rumors about that the same thing happened early on in the construction of Embassy Suites, and new caissons had to be drilled 11 feet deeper than the original ones.
Other rumors contend that 
a second tower will eventually be built on the northern half of the hotel site, atop the parking garage. While there is no firm evidence one way or the other, on close examination of this photograph you’ll note there is additional rebar sticking out of the top of the garage piers.
Rebar decoration is common in parts of the third world, where it usually indicates hope that another story—or maybe another whole hotel—might be added on top.
The current building has 21 stories and 373 rooms.
This is another in an ongoing series. Previously we highlighted:
Use our handy map of downtown to follow along.
Tags: development, tampa, tourism
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April 13th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
Interesting about the bedrock under the Embassy Suites — I didn’t know that.
April 13th, 2006 at 4:50 pm
Rebar ornamentation is common in countries where full property taxes aren’t charged until a building is completed.
April 13th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
a HA the real reason for the Winchester mansion always being under construction is revealed!
April 17th, 2006 at 3:49 pm
[...] embassy suites [...]