Demolition Begins on Belleview Biltmore

A developer’s plans to demolish part of the historic Belleview Biltmore to make way for a townhome and condominium development got under way this week.

A backhoe spotted on the property in the Town of Belleair earlier in the week went to work Thursday removing a portion of the old Candlelight ballroom, according to Jason Aquilar, one of many local residents who have stepped forward to try and save the historic structure.

“Looks like the senseless demolition of one of the most significant historic structures in Pinellas County and our state is already under way today,” Aquilar wrote on Facebook, sharing photos he shot of the scene.

The town commission in Belleair voted unanimously in December to approve developer Mike Cheezem’s plans to raze most of the historic structure to make way for new development. A portion of the National Register of Historic Places-listed hotel will be saved for the creation of a boutique hotel.

The property has been deemed significant by both the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation. The hotel was built by railroad tycoon Henry Plant in the 1890s to boost tourism along Florida’s west coast.

The National Trust launched a last-minute effort to try and save the hotel prior to last December’s town commission vote. In a letter dated Dec. 8 – one day before the vote – the National Trust’s John Hildreth, vice president for eastern field services, and Elizabeth Merritt, deputy general counsel, urged commissioners to save the structure:

“It is our view that that demolishing all or part of the hotel would violate your own 2005 Historic Preservation Ordinance and your comprehensive plan, which places ‘ensuring the preservation of the Belleview Biltmore Resort Hotel’ as part of Goal 1 in future land use planning. Approving demolition under these circumstances would leave the Town vulnerable to litigation that may challenge the project based on violations of local law, as well as claims based on citizens’ due process rights,” a portion of the letter read.

The city moved forward in approving the developer’s plans anyway. The litigation spoke of in the letter did come to fruition, as well.

The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation has placed the Biltmore on its most endangered sites list. It notes on its website that two lawsuits are pending against the town and developer for its December approval of the project. Plaintiffs in the suits include the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Friends of the Belleview Biltmore and others, the trust noted.

Visitors to the hotel during its glory days included U.S. Presidents, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Henry Ford and many others, the trust noted.

A hearing in one of the lawsuits is scheduled for July 31, according to Pinellas County Court documents. Another petition for action in the case was entered into the court system on Wednesday. Whether the court action will be enough to save the structure remains to be seen.

What are your thoughts on this? Share them by commenting below!

Photo credit: Jason Aquilar

See Also:

• Historic Belleview Biltmore Slated for Demolition
• Time Running Out for Belleview Biltmore

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