However, like much of the Gilded Age dream, the Cordova’s golden years were not to last. By the 1930s, the Great Depression had decimated tourism. The once-bustling hotel fell silent. Flagler’s descendants and business successors closed its doors, and the building sat largely empty for decades. For much of the mid-20th century, it served a variety of practical but uninspired purposes: offices, apartments, and even government facilities.
By the 1960s, the once-resplendent hotel had fallen into disrepair. The ornate plasterwork crumbled, the domed towers rusted, and the grand ballroom was subdivided into makeshift rooms. Yet even in neglect, Casa Monica’s Moorish silhouette remained a reminder of its glory days.
Rebirth in the 1990s: The Reawakening of a Landmark
The story might have ended there were it not for the vision of Richard C. Kessler, an Atlanta-based developer and art collector who saw in the decaying structure the potential for rebirth. In 1997, Kessler purchased the abandoned building and embarked on a meticulous restoration that would take two years and millions of dollars.
When the Casa Monica Hotel reopened in 1999, it reclaimed its original name—and its soul. The restoration honored Franklin W. Smith’s vision, reintroducing hand-painted ceilings, wrought-iron balconies, and imported furnishings that reflected both Spanish and Moorish influences. At the same time, the hotel was modernized to meet the expectations of 21st-century travelers.
Today, the Casa Monica stands as one of the few surviving grand hotels of Florida’s Gilded Age still operating as a luxury property. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its membership in the Historic Hotels of America places it among the nation’s architectural treasures shutdown123