1417 North Albany Avenue/1934 West Laurel Street (House), 1417 North Albany Avenue/1934 West Laurel Street, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

Significance: This building's architectural and historical significance is derived from its contribution to the West Tampa National Register Historic District. This two-story stuccoed Mediterranean Revival Style building was constructed in 1928 as the Gomez and Boza funeral home and residence. It remained in use as a funeral home until ca. 1987. In the 1990s it was modified extensively on the exterior and interior for use as an assisted living facility and later as a family assistance center. A large two-story concrete block addition was constructed on the east side and the interior was completely remodeled. Some original historic features that remain intact on the exterior include the stuccoed walls, shaped parapet, recessed arched niches, hipped hoods with clay roof tiles, and porches with arched bays and quarry tile floors.
The city of West Tampa was established in 1895 as a community adjacent to, but separate from, the City of Tampa and remained an incorporated city for thirty years...In 1887, a group of Tampa businessmen, led by Tampa lawyer Hugh C. Macfarlane, began to promote the area west of the Hillsborough River as a possible location for a second cigar manufacturing center. They were successful as cigar factories, social clubs, schools, residences, commercial buildings, and other public institutions were constructed. Most of the housing consisted of wood frame vernacular rowhouses and bungalows. This building, however, is a good example of the Mediterranean Revival style which was not that common in West Tampa.
Survey number: HABS FL-520
Building/structure dates: 1928 Initial Construction
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 83003539