Belleview Biltmore Hotel Flyover

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9 жыл бұрын

The Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa is a historic resort hotel located at 25 Belleview Boulevard in the town of Belleair, Florida, USA. The 820,000 square feet (76,000 m2) hotel structure is the last remaining grand historic hotel of its period in Florida that exists as a resort, and the only remaining Henry Plant hotel still in operation. The building is noted for its architectural features, with its unique green sloped roof and white wood sided exterior, and extensive hand crafted woodwork and Tiffany glass inside. It is said to be the largest occupied wood frame structure in the world, and is constructed of native Florida pine wood.
The Belleview Biltmore is situated along the eastern shores of Old Clearwater Bay, with views of the bay and the barrier islands which border the Gulf of Mexico. The hotel was built in 1897 by railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant and was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on December 26, 1979. The designation does not protect it from demolition and its owner planned to demolish the hotel in 2012 and to replace it with condos. In December of 2013, plans to restore the hotel were proposed.
The hotel property consists of over 160 acres (65 ha), including swimming pools, a beach club, restaurant, and a golf course. The hotel itself is located on 20.203 acres (8.176 ha) and has ballroom facilities and is a popular location for weddings and other gatherings.
The Belleview Biltmore has hosted many famous people, dignitaries and world leaders through the years, including U.S. Presidents Barack Obama, George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Duke of Windsor, and celebrities such as Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford. The hotel is thought by some to be the site of ghost sightings and other paranormal events. The Hotel was featured in a segment on the Weird Travels series on the Travel Channel television network in the U.S., which was filmed in March 2004 by Authentic Entertainment. Ghost Stories of the Belleview Biltmore Hotel have been documented at ClearwaterGhostHunter.com which contains one of the largest online galleries of interior and exterior photos of the hotel.*

Пікірлер: 17

@andyevans9827 5 жыл бұрын

Beautiful place, stayed there Christmas 2005

@jeffmartin8924 3 жыл бұрын

It was the largest wood structure in the world. I worked there in the mid 70's. So sad to see it's gone.

@Kilomenjaro Жыл бұрын

It's still there, but it lost a ton of its original self and it's now a small hotel

@pamelabickett8083 9 жыл бұрын

The beauty of the Biltmore is still just breathtaking from this view. Love it, love it, love it!

@danking6856 6 жыл бұрын

One of my favorite jobs was that giant jewel. We had so many memorable evenings... Morton Plant charity ball, JC Penny golf classic, Lynn Austin/Darrel Daulton wedding, the Bellair bridge club luncheons. As I was redoing my resume I did a search....Had no idea this had happened..........I’m so disappointed, I thought it would have been a historical landmark.

@ItsTideYT 9 жыл бұрын

I just amazed that people can't see this diamond in the rough! This structure is one of a kind and holds more than 100 years of history in its walls. Demolishing the "White Queen of the Gulf" would be an upset to history and a disrespect to all who absolutely see that is it not just a hotel but a piece of history and come on..... If you look around, I'm pretty sure that they don't need anymore condos in Belleview. Lastly, I REALLY believe they need to get a camera drone inside and show that the interior deterioration is not half as bad as they believe it is!

@yvonnerocchio8445 9 жыл бұрын

I see this beautiful hotel every day from my condo windows....tears will flow when she's gone....

@starxlr7863 9 жыл бұрын

+Yvonne Rocchio Yvonne, I would probably say its time to move. This breaks my heart when I see it abandoned like this. You know this deterioration was done on purpose. There is no excuse why this couldn't be a successful hotel again. Shame on the Town of Belleair and Shame on the Historic preservation board. I would fire every one of those members since they haven't a clue what Historic Preservation really is. But there is always a price to pay especially when messing with major history like this. Yvonne I hope your doing alright. Just know that your not the only one upset by this. I don't know how old you are but I'm only 20 years old myself and I cherish Historic Buildings like this. Another valuable piece of Florida History going to waste. Why do places like this always end up in the wrong hands. If I were a billionaire and born 30 years earlier, I would have bought it myself and saved it from even the Chinese that had it during the 90's. But I guess I came too late.

@jeffmartin8924 3 жыл бұрын

@@starxlr7863 I wish I could have seen the Hotel restored! I've been through the underground tunnels in the mid 70's

@bonnie-suebrandvik4949 9 жыл бұрын

We still have a chance to save this hotel from being demolished! Please write e-mails before December 9, 2014 to: Commission@TownOfBelleair.net and MMaxwell@TownOfBelleair.net. If the Historic Preservation Board and Town Commission refuse to remove the hotel from the protection of its Historic Preservation Ordinance, then the developer will not be able to demolish the hotel and replace it with condos and town homes. There are currently two groups of investors that want to purchase and restore the hotel to its former glory, but they can't unless the developer abandons his contract to purchase the property. If the developer can't demolish the hotel, he will sell his contract to those who would restore it. Please help!

@wingtimeRV7 5 жыл бұрын

Great video. It's a travesty they tore most of it down.

@cindyflora586 9 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, it appears to me, as a preservationist but non-city resident attending council meetings, that the Belleair Country Club and many of its members appear to wield considerable influence on the council, demonstrating little or no interest in historical preservation of the hotel. Council members need to show some fortitude, resist that powerful outside pressure, and honor the Certified Local Government agreement with the State which calls on the city to designate and protect the historic resources in their town. Recently the Country Club, which exalts its own historical significance, acquired the okay from the city to acquire some Biltmore acres for country club parking. I have to assume it is in the Country Club's "Best Interest" to support the demolition of the hotel in order to make room for more condominium dwellers who represent potential members and additional income for the club. It's unbelievable that this beautiful building, ironically originating as the Belleair Hotel, is in imminent danger when in other parts of the state and country the historical and architectural significance of the Biltmore legacy is exalted and revered. www.arizonabiltmore.com/gallery/ www.biltmorehotel.com/resort/

@aquilar1 9 жыл бұрын

URGENT!!!!!! The December 9th Belleair commission meeting is our last opportunity to save the "White Queen of the Gulf". Please try to attend or email the town commissioners that you support preserving the hotel! Here is a link to the most recent news story from Patch.com : patch.com/florida/clearwater/time-running-out-belleview-biltmore-0

@aquilar1 9 жыл бұрын

Here is also a link to the WFLA news 8 story: www.wfla.com/story/27502669/group-hopes-drone-will-save-belleview-biltmore-hotel-from-demolition

@aaronmenzies2134 9 ай бұрын

Too bad it's gone

@starxlr7863 9 жыл бұрын

I just can not believe this is happening. Another valuable piece of Florida History going to waste. Why do places like this always end up in the wrong hands. If I were a billionaire and born 30 years earlier, I would have bought it myself and saved it from even the Chinese that had it during the 90's. But I guess I came too late. It breaks my heart to see this. But....there is ALWAYS a price to pay, especially when you are messing with history. The ones that were against it including the car salesman mayor will pay for his actions one day. I do not live in Belleair nor do I ever want to now that I know what's happening now. There is no excuse as to why this can't be a hotel again. Take that same amount of money used for demolition and condo's and put it into restoring the ENTIRE hotel. I guarantee many people would love to go there. And many people, including myself that do not live in Belleair, I bet don't know that a hotel from this era still exists.