The reopening of Lake Worth Beach's Gulfstream Hotel hit another delay recently when its owner fired the contractor responsible for restoring the 101-year-old building after the contractor claimed it is owed a seven-figure sum.
Restoration St. Louis, which owns the historic Lake Worth Beach hotel at 1 Lake Ave., said Wednesday, Sept. 16, that it has terminated its contract with its general contractor, Aventura-based Hogan Brothers Construction.
Hogan Brothers filed a lien on Sept. 10, claiming Restoration owes more than $1.7 million on $23 million of work done on the hotel, which has sat vacant for 21 years.
"Hogan is disappointed to learn of an alleged termination of its Contract in the press," company president Matthew Hogan said by email. "Hogan has
not received a termination notice from the Owner and remains on site."
Restoration will have a new general contractor in two weeks, CEO Amy Gill said. Hogan Brothers, Gill said, "was so far behind schedule and we couldn't see an … end to their delays."
Hogan's claim is the latest and largest lien filed in the $134 million Gulfstream renovation that started in 2024. Six other companies claim they are owed a combined sum of more than $747,000.
Gulfstream General Manager Larry Cassenti said he has refunded a "handful" of people who booked reservations.
"Most of the initial reservations were fans of the Gulfstream, and they're looking forward to rebooking a reservation once we have a more firm opening date," Cassenti said. The hotel will open by the end of the year, Gill said.
The Gulfstream will have 140 hotel rooms once complete, with nightly rates starting at $300 to $400, Cassenti has said. It also will have 50 apartments, a rooftop restaurant, a bar, a spa, a gym and a 273-space parking garage.
The Gulfstream, built a few minutes' walk from the Intracoastal Waterway on Lake Worth Beach's easternmost city block, opened its doors in 1925. It experienced years of on-again, off-again operation before closing in 2005.
The vacant hotel was bought and sold several times since then, before coming under Restoration's ownership. They appealed to city voters in 2020 to approve a measure allowing them to build up the hotel's neighboring property to match the hotel's 87-foot height. Voters overwhelmingly approved.
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Gulfstream Hotel fires contractor in money dispute amid push to reopen
