Opulence and grandeur were the intentions behind the massive Hillsboro Hotel built in early 1911. It was the largest commercial hotel in Florida. The lobby and mezzanine featured a marble floor, staircase, and railing and were appointed with high-end furniture and carpets. It hosted stores with fine men’s clothing, Custom House Cigar Store, and Court Square Pharmacy. The dining room on the top floor was polished with linens, arched windows, and highly trained service personnel. It became a 9-story landmark and was expanded in 1924.

In 1948, the building sold and subsequently went through a series of owners ending up in a public auction won by Lykes Brothers Inc., a cattle and citrus conglomerate, for $648,000.  They then sold it to the MacFarlane Ferguson law firm that updated it in the 1950s. The 400-room hotel began to decline as travelers’ tastes changed. Hotel functions ceased in 1969, and by 1980, the structural integrity of the building had come into question, and office tenants had been given notices to vacate. The property then became a legal hot potato. In a hushed deal, the owners donated the building to Lowry Park Zoo and Future Farmer’s foundations in 1986. By 1993, a potential buyer for the land was identified, and plans to raze the building were made public. It was demolished that same year and is now a parking lot.

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