The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-09
FLORENCE HOTEL IS ID BE REMODELED R. D. Burnett Leases Corner Building for Ten Years TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS About $so,ooo Will Be Spent In Put ting the Building In Condition.
 Some Details of the
 Changes.
TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS

The Florence hotel will be remodeled and about s30,000 will be spent in improve ments.
 The hotel has been leased by R. D. Bur nett, president of the R. D. Burnett Ci- gar company, for ten years, and he pro poses to alter 1t materially and reopen IL as hrst-class hotel.
 The present lease expires on the hrst of the next year, and the hotel Will De closed on that day. It will require rom sixty to ninety days to make the neces- sa1y improvements before the hotel Is re- opened.
 Among other improvements the cafe VIII be moved to the first floor. It will open on Second avenue, where the present lobby opens, and the cafe will occupy the space at present occupied oy the lobby and office of the Florence.
 The main entrance of the hotel Will De on Ninteenth street where the Recent Shoe company is at present, or posslply next to the Harris barber shop. The ven able place will remain where It is, or Will move nearer the corner of Second ave nue, and occupy the space now allotted to the ladies entrance and the elevator. This feature of the plans has not been definitely decided on yet.
 The Kitchen will be moved to the first floor in the rear of the building and will occupy that space now used for boiler room. A pantry will also be built be-
 
 the cafe.
 Tile Flooring.
 The entire lower floor will be laid with Mosaic tiling and the wanscoting of the lobby and the cafe will be white marble. The furnishings of the cafe will be es- pecially elaborate and everything will De in keeping with the other improvements. Every room on the second, third and fourth floors will be thoroughly over hauled and refurnished. MT. Burnett ar ranged to purchase the furniture while in New York recently, and he states that the furnishings will compare with those of the best hotels throughout tue south.
 Many of the rooms will be altered so that private baths can be installed. out of the 115 rooms that the hotel will nave MT Burnett expects that about sixty or them will have private baths. The paths will be complete in every way. A modern elevator will be installed in convenient place in the lobby In speaking of the improvements last night, MT. Burnett said:
 European Plan.
 ..The hotel will be run on the Euro pean plan. but I have not yet decided whether to run it myself and have man ager, or to lease 1t to some one. of can get the man that want | will run the hotel myself and make him the manager otherwise 1t will be leased
 .iThe entire front of the building, as high as the bottom of the second floor will be torn out and changed. It will have n vestIbule cafe entrance and main en- trance. the cigar stand on the corner will remain about the same, put the Recent Shoe store will move, Venables' will be where 1t is now or closer to Second avenue. and the barber shop and 1ewelry store will remain as they are
 "Every piece of furniture in the house will be new and all the carpets and rugs will be entirely new. In other words expect to have everything ne" rom top to bottom.
 II have not decided about the portion of the building now used for a dining room. I may convert 1t into rooms or I may retain it as 1t is and use 1t for public gatherings. dances or banauets.