Rick Outzen October 22, 2025 1 Comment
Developer George Hawthorne envisions remodeling the Pensacola Grand Hotel into an upscale establishment worthy of its name.
Background: The 15-story Grand Hotel is the tallest building in Pensacola. The hotel was built around the Louisville & Nashville Passenger Depot and Express Office, which was constructed in 1912 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- The Grand opened in 1984 and closed after Hurricane Sally damaged the structure in 2020. The City issued a repair permit after the hurricane damage, but the permit expired without inspections being completed.
The Plan
Hawthorne established 32501 Development Partners SPE, LLC, and he proposes to acquire, renovate, equip and furnish a 210-room full-service hotel in the 15-story Grand Hotel tower. Other project proposals include rehabilitating the adjacent 1912 Louisville & Nashville Railroad Station into a 14,000-square-foot food hall and creating co-working space.
Hawthorne said the project would eliminate blight and preserve two historically significant structures.
- “There’s not one full-service hotel downtown,” he said. “This will be the only full-service hotel that will have a nice food and beverage lounge. This will probably be the market leader in the high-end business market in Pensacola.”
Just one problem. The City is balking at his financing proposal…