it’s just cool
I find myself drawn to local history. Whenever I see an old building, especially a grand old building, I have to check it out. I’ll get inside, look in every nook and cranny - I just love touring them. Walking around these places, I often wonder what kind of important, as well as mundane, conversations have taken place there.
About two months ago, I had the fortune of visiting the Belleview Biltmore. My first impression of the Belleview was that it very well could have been the Overlook Hotel from The Shining. The resort has a long history, built in 1897 by Henry Plant (he also built the Tampa Bay Hotel, now the University of Tampa). I would come to find out that many of the employees believe the Biltmore is haunted. The entire 5th floor is cordoned off. The staff will tell you it’s because of the haunting, although it’s probably due to its state of disrepair. There is an unused cellar at the hotel. It is highly unusual for South Florida properties to include a basement, but it was constructed so the staff could move about the hotel, and not be seen by the guests. The cellar (it looks more like a tunnel system, really) is also supposedly haunted. I wish I could have checked it more thoroughly for myself, but I was pressed for time.
Anyway, I read with dismay that there are plans to raze the place and create more condominiums. The developers say the hotel is dilapidated, but historians say the developers are exaggerating. I’m no expert, but when I was there the place didn’t look bad at all, and there were lots of people enjoying the lounge and the shops inside. The Belleview Biltmore is the world’s largest continuously occupied wooden structure, so I am sure there are spots of it that could use some fixing up, but again – I didn’t see it. I hope they can save the old thing.
Tags: tampa
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