Hillsborough High School, 5000 Central Avenue

Hillsborough High School, 5000 Central Avenue, side facade of Tudor revival brick building with tower. 1948. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System

Hillsborough High School, 5000 Central Avenue 2021. © Chip Weiner

This beautiful Gothic structure is actually the eighth home of Hillsborough High School. The cornerstone was laid in 1927 and completed in 1928 at a cost of $757,000. The architect, Francis J Kinard, designed other iconic buildings in Tampa as well including El Centro Espanol in Ybor City and the Floridan Hotel-once the tallest building in Florida. The school is one of the oldest in the entire southeastern United States.

The school has been renovated several times, including in the mid-1970s and again in 2008, and its unique architecture remains a standout along Central Avenue in Tampa.

From Burgert Brothers: Look Again, Vol.2

Hillsborough High School front and side facades. 1928. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library System