From the Belleair Bee, "In a five-page cover
letter that accompanied the application, the owners of the hotel, the Ades
brothers of Miami, indicated they were filing for the demolition permit because
the potential new owners of the property, Miami Architect Richard Heisenbottle
and his group, (Belleview Biltmore Partners) defaulted on their contract to buy
the property because they were unable to come up with the money. The letter
states “BBP (Heisenbottle) was unable to close on the loan and defaulted on the
contract. BB Hotel (Ades brothers) even provided an extension at no cost which
was not required by the contract but BBP was still unable to close on the loan.”
Despite that Richard Heisenbottle said the application will not
inhibit him and his partners from proceeding with their efforts to buy the
property.
“This has no effect whatsoever on our plans,” he said. “We are proceeding with
assembling our capital stack; the process is taking longer than we thought. We
just finished getting our tax exemption from the town.”
Heisenbottle said he was not bothered by the demolition application.
Per the October 4, 2012 Wall Street Journal article, "Architect
Richard Heisenbottle and his two partners, who have hired Miami investment bank
CGI Merchant Group LLC to raise capital for buying the hotel and restoring it to
its former glory.
"The group so far has assembled nearly $25 million through a
federal investment tax program for historic buildings, and Mr. Heisenbottle
anticipates landing a $75.5 million construction loan. He still is canvassing
potential investors for as much as $16 million in equity contributions, he
said."
If anyone reading this article is interested in becoming an
investor with Belleview Biltmore Partners so that the Biltmore may be saved,
PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY! Diane Hein, President of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists at Email us.
The current owner of the hotel has filed a demolition
application to destroy the Biltmore, and they are only willing to hold off until
December 31, 2012, so URGENCY is a necessity! Please note that the
demolition permit was incomplete and Belleair town council sent it back to KAWA
for them to write it correctly. Once resubmitted and if correct, Belleair
town council still would have to give approval for the demolition of the hotel.
The Pelican or Belleview Biltmore golf course is being
purchased for $13.5 million by the town of Belleair to make sure it will not be
redeveloped.
Or contact realtors and investors in your area and let them
know that the Biltmore immediately needs investors in order to be saved!
Thank you to everyone who wrote Belleair
officials or attended the Tuesday, September 4, 2012 meeting.
Great news!! There were three out of
five "YES!" votes for the second and final reading of the tax abatement so it
was approved! Each vote counts equally. Only three votes out of five
votes were needed.
Mayor Katica NO
Commissioner Kevin Piccarreto NO
Commissioner Tom Shelly YES
Commissioner Steve Fowler YES
Commissioner Mike Wilkinson YES
Rendition of the Starlight Ballroom 2015
A rendering shows the new spa, one story instead of two, in response to the
concerns of some neighbors that views of the Intracoastal would be blocked
We hope you become one of our nonprofit members. We
offer Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum memberships with certificates
and a variety of gifts with each level. See
Memberships for more information. Also have fun shopping
at our
Biltmore Online Gift Shop. You will help the Biltmore stand tall
for another 110 years! Order a Biltmore calendar and proudly display it at home
or at your workplace. Wear a Biltmore T-shirt, carry a Biltmore tote bag, a
Biltmore charm or display a Biltmore license plate on your car. All these will
stir interest with the people around you and help us promote the Biltmore! An
honorary one-year membership will be given to anyone purchasing any of our
special Biltmore jewelry!
Our Vice President of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists Ed Lee Jameson, and husband of our president of our nonprofit
organization, Diane Hein. He was loved and will be truly missed in many,
many
ways.
CLEARWATER - Edward Lee Jameson (age 65), a Clearwater resident who tirelessly promoted preservation of the Belleview Biltmore Hotel in Belleair, passed away
December 8, 2010. Jameson suffered from complications following surgery to
remove a
benign brain tumor for several months before his death. The death was announced
by Jameson's wife and partner of 34 years, Diane Hein, with whom he co-founded
Save the Biltmore Preservationists. Says Hein, "Ed was a fascinating,
articulate, analytical and loving man who contributed so much to historic
preservation in Pinellas County."
Jameson was known locally as the Vice President of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists and was a familiar sight at Belleair town meetings where for
six years he followed the actions taken concerning the hotel and spoke on behalf
of so many other members of the community concerned that the property would be
developed into a colony of even more condominiums. In particular, Jameson and
his group advocated to ensure that all four wings of the landmark hotel
would be preserved for future generations. Jameson's efforts were instrumental
in helping to pass an amendment to
the town of Belleair's preservation ordinance in which the interior of the hotel
would be preserved
historically. Hein said Jameson strongly felt that the Biltmore was the most
important historical structure
within Pinellas County and indeed contributed much to the county's very
development. "He always had faith that the people of Pinellas County, Belleair
and their elected officials would do their best to preserve the hotel."
A military veteran, Jameson served proudly in the United States Air Force in
Great Britain as a weather researcher. Once discharged, he attained a Bachelor
of Science in Business from Eckerd College and went on to form a career in
information technology, retiring as a systems analyst from Pinellas County
Government.
A memorial service was held at Bay Pines Veterans cemetery for Jameson who is
survived by wife Diane, brother George (Faith) and two nephews.
Side note:
Ed
colorfully once
told this about
the Biltmore to
Harlan Weikle
reporter for the
Belleair Bee:
"The attic area
was akin to the
bowels of a ship
at sea, the
crew's living
quarters, only
turned upside
down." Ed used to walk the
long
two miles of
corridor at the
Biltmore during
his lunch hours
when he worked
downtown before
he retired.
He loved the
hotel beyond
words. We
strongly feel
one reason that
the Biltmore is
still standing
is because of
Ed, who
introduced the
hotel to me his
wife, Diane
Hein, President
of Save the
Biltmore
Preservationists
who put up this
web site in
2004. With
the help of much
community
support who
contacted this
web site when
the St.
Petersburg Times
mentioned it,
the Biltmore was
saved from
demolition back
in 2007.
There were
HUNDREDS of
people involved
in the saving of
the Biltmore at
that time, and
we are truly
grateful for all
their help.
A VINTAGE BILTMORE FURNITURE DONATION TO SAVE THE
BILTMORE PRESERVATIONISTS:
We give a big thank you to Dell Valentine Kelleher, Clearwater,
Florida for donating her grandmother's chest of drawers and
mirror which were in the Belleview Biltmore Hotel from around
the 1920's to the 1930's to our nonprofit organization Save the
Biltmore Preservationists. This hickory wood furniture was
unfortunately removed from the hotel right before it was used to
station World War II military personnel. However we are
extremely grateful she wrote and donated this wonderful piece of
Biltmore history to us. Here is a photo of it with more
information on it below the picture.
Here is the history behind the furniture. In the 19th
century Bill Richard made and sold hickory chairs in the Town Square in
Martinsville, Indiana. "Old Hickory" furniture (honoring President Jackson) came
into being in a church in 1892. In 1898, a full line of furniture products was
shipped to homes and resorts. There were multiple makers/owners of "Old Hickory"
over time. Early Arts & Crafts mission furniture makers may have received many
of their concepts while visiting the Martinsville "Old Hickory" production.
The earlier woods used were hickory while later woods were oak, chestnut and
pine. One of the most popular variations is rustic log style. Many
homes, resorts and national park lodges use both old and new variations of "Old
Hickory" furniture. A few owners of "Old Hickory" include Old Faithful Inn, Grove Park Inn, Camp David,
the Disney Rainforest Cafe, and celebrities Dolly Parton, Robert Redford, Barbra
Streisand, and Oprah Winfrey.
The Belleview Biltmore hickory chest of drawers has an
early mark (later variations had bronze and paper tags) and is an example of
historic Mission/Arts and Crafts style furniture. Hickory is the heaviest and
hardest of all American hardwoods, and it was used by the American Arts and
Crafts movement, Amish furniture makers, pioneer wagon wheels and on the Wright
brothers’ Flying Machine. The vintage furniture is a heavy, well built, solid
wood, utilitarian chest of drawers with hand cut half-blind dovetails and solid
glue joints. The finish is worn, with some small chips and various
board-to-board glued edges have separated. The chest and mirror could be
restored, but then it would lose the wear and tear history of life at the
Biltmore. A woodworker experienced with hickory wood could duplicate this basic
design.
Our vintage Biltmore chest has four drawers with carved,
hickory nut knobs and the 31" x 25" mirror has horizontal sections (rails) with
hickory nut incised carvings. The frame (carcass) has horizontal and vertical
routed moldings, 43" vertical sections (stiles), 38" horizontal sections (rails)
and is 20" in depth. The top-drawer front has opposing "rustic" style V shaped
routings cut into the front face and measures 30x18x7". The next drawer measures
30x18x8" and the two bottom drawers measure 30x18x9". The piece is signed "Old
Hickory, Martinsville, Ind. Dusty Acorn." The date is unknown but could be
in the 1920's or 1930's but is before World War II. The entire package measures
20x38x43" and weighs approximately 150 pounds. Some early records of the first "Old
Hickory" furniture were unfortunately destroyed when the original furniture
company burned down. The chest and mirror are currently being kept in safe
storage for future Biltmore preservation efforts.
Here is information from Ms. Kelleher: "My grandmother Dell
Valentine was a very connected (socialite) here in Clearwater. I
am a fourth generation Clearwater native. One of her very dear
friends was Billy Burke a golf pro, and I think he played with
Babe Ruth on the Resort course at times. Also she was a great
friend of Jim Smith who was another golf pro in the area at the
time. Plus she was on the board of or one of the founders of
every committee they had going back then. I really don't know
how she ended up with the furniture but it was in the back
bedroom of her house for as long as I can remember as a child .
She had the set of twin beds and the dresser/mirror and maybe
night stand but I happened to salvage the dresser when I needed
one when I moved out of my parents' house. My grandfather Wilson
"Rudy" Valentine was the founder and president of First Federal
Savings and Loan downtown. My great -grandfather George
Eichelburger was a builder, and he built some of the homes down
in Harbor Oaks near the hospital. My grandmother graduated from
Clearwater High School in the first graduating class on '38, Mom
graduated in '58 and I in '78.
Our late vice president Ed Jameson met Mr. Doug Negretti
who is working hard to get donations to restore the original
historic Belleview Biltmore fire engine. The fire engine is a
1917 America La France "pumper type fire truck." If you have
information or any sources that could help to restore the fire
engine or any historical information on the fire department
using this truck, please email
us.If you would like to help Mr. Negretti
raise money or give donations to help restore the fire
engine, please contact him at Heritage Village 11909 125th
Street N. Largo, FL 33774
Mr. Doug Negretti and Belleview Biltmore Hotel historic fire truck to his
right
Vintage photo of the Biltmore
FREE Desktop Wallpapers, just
click on the photo, and it will take only seconds to download them to your
screen!
If you work at
a computer, downloading these images will be a great opportunity to talk about
the Belleview Biltmore Hotel. The web site name
www.SaveTheBiltmore.com is on
each large photo and your co-workers can come to our web site for information or
wallpapers or sign up to be on our mailing list. If you want to help us promote
the Biltmore, this is a great way for you to do this, and it's FREE!
Below is an excellent video produced by Pinellas County,
Florida which includes interior photos of the Biltmore, a synopsis of the efforts
to save the Biltmore since 2004, clips of Florida Governor Charlie Crist who
visited the hotel October 2007, Legg Mason's Managing Director Joseph Penner,
Biltmore Managing Director and Vice President Martin Smith, Biltmore executive
assistant and tour guide Sharon Delahanty and interviews with Pinellas County
Commissioner Karen Seel, Belleair
town Commissioner Stephanie Oddo, our group's Save the Biltmore
Preservationist Vice President Ed Jameson, Marcia Crawley Director of Department
of Communications, Pinellas County, Mike Moore Producer Progressive Pinellas and
beautiful renderings of the future renovation plans. The interview was
held at the Belleview Biltmore January 24, 2008 in regards to historic preservation in Pinellas
County. Pinellas County is working towards establishing a historic
preservation ordinance to help save other historic buildings in the county.
There are approximately 10,000 historic structures in Pinellas County. Click this photo,
or link to Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTyA-OZINDg and it will link you to the video page:
If you have any old/historic photos of the Biltmore and/or of
your family at the hotel, please send them to us and we will post them. We are
especially looking for photos of the interior of the hotel before World War II
before all the furniture was removed when the Biltmore housed the military.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uvcIzpprp0 to read the YouTube video trailer
for Bonnie Sue Brandvik's new book "Pearls, Spirits of the Belleview Biltmore."
Ms Brandvik's novel takes us from modern day turbulence
into the looking glass - a century's past of beauty and elegance and the strong
women whose survival often depended upon their ability to band together with
other women in a male dominated era. Blending the stream of time effortlessly,
Brandvik gives the reader a chance to reconsider a world of possible futures,
providing an enlightened learning experience derived from the heritage of our
forebears.
NEWSPAPER
AND MEDIA COVERAGE FOR OUR NONPROFIT (short synopsis)
Architect who wants to save Belleview Biltmore announces contract
to buy historic hotel
By Lorri Helfand, Times Staff Writer
Tampa Bay Times In Print: Tuesday, April 3, 2012
BELLEAIR — Three months after the owner of the
historic Belleview Biltmore filed a request to raze most of the 115-year-old
hotel, Richard Heisenbottle, a Coral Gables architect who wants to restore it to
its former grandeur, announced Monday he has a contract to buy it.
"It's very exciting and beyond wonderful that the
hotel is going to be restored again," said Diane Hein of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists Inc.
National group, preservationists defend endangered Belleview Biltmore
By Lorri Helfand, Times Staff Writer
A national nonprofit and other preservationists vow to fight the owners'
proposal to raze the hotel.
BELLEAIR - Five days after the owners of the Belleview Biltmore filed a request
to raze most of the 115-year-old hotel, a national nonprofit is urging town
leaders to deny that request. Approximately 175 people turned out at this
meeting, nearly all in support of saving the hotel.
Local preservationists say they're gearing up for battle. They're booking TV
interviews, passing out fliers and coming up with a game plan to combat rhetoric
from the owners.
Diane Hein, the head of a preservation group, said they're trying to get
residents to come out to Tuesday's city meeting, where the Biltmore will be
discussed.
"We're trying to show the commissioners that people still want the hotel saved
and it's very important that the historic preservation ordinance be upheld,"
said Hein of Save the Biltmore Preservationists Inc.
Tampa Bay Times, Saturday January 13, 2012
National group, preservationists defend endangered Belleview Biltmore
By Lorri Helfand, Times Staff Writer
A national nonprofit and other preservationists vow to fight the owners'
proposal to raze the hotel.
BELLEAIR - Five days after the owners of the Belleview Biltmore filed a request
to raze most of the 115-year-old hotel, a national nonprofit is urging town
leaders to deny that request.
Local preservationists say they're gearing up for battle. They're booking TV
interviews, passing out fliers and coming up with a game plan to combat rhetoric
from the owners.
Diane Hein, the head of a preservation
group, said they're trying to get residents to come out to Tuesday's city
meeting, where the Biltmore will be discussed.
"We're trying to show the commissioners that people still want the hotel saved
and it's very important that the historic preservation ordinance be upheld,"
said Hein of Save the Biltmore Preservationists Inc.
People see pictures of the hotel's rusted railings, chipped paint and tattered
roof and lose hope, she said.
"We need to get the message across that all of these things can be repaired,"
Hein said.
The Save the Biltmore Preservationist seven foot Christmas
tree combines the old with the new. The Belleview Biltmore Hotel opened during
the Victorian era in 1897, and a popular Christmas decoration at that time was
the beautiful cone-shaped ornament, the cornucopia. The Save the Biltmore
hand-crafted cornucopias included decorations of pine cones, silver and gold
leaves, miniature craft pearls, apples, pears, gold and silver-coated nuts,
foil, ribbon, and other Christmas decorations. Half of their ornaments are
adorned in the center with a photo representation of their nonprofit's Belleview
Biltmore 14 karat gold jewelry charm to represent the "charm of the Belleview
Biltmore." The top of their tree has larger gold printed images of their charm,
and you can see the hotel's distinctive chimney stacks. It took the organization
approximately 65 hours to make and decorate the cornucopias and tree topper. The
tree was on view at the Festival of Trees show at Westfield/Countryside Mall
sponsored by the UPARC Foundation show the end of November.
Here's to The White Queen of the
Gulf & Her Staying Power
Photos/text by Renee Burrell
Photo above: Farewell sentiments as seen at the Belleview
Biltmore's last Sunday Brunch
BELLEAIR - The 112 year old Belleview Biltmore Resort's
closing was bitter sweet. Some of the hotel's last events were attendance record
breakers--mainly a family friendly Victorian picnic, Sunday's brunch and a
fundraiser benefitting the Upper Pinellas County Retarded Citizens later that
night.
Optimism was up for the largest wooden structure in the
world's 100 million dollar renovation project which is expected to take several
years to complete and will adhere to the United States Secretary of Interior's
Standards for Rehabilitation.
Diane Hein who heads up the Save the Biltmore preservationist
group voiced concern over the structure's physical well being, but looks forward
to its future. She said that she and vice president Ed Jameson and
secretary/treasurer Doug Mann are "Overjoyed that the future of the Belleview
Biltmore Hotel is secure now" and reminded that "everyone has to be aware that
the hotel will be vacant and we hope that security will prevent any untoward
events from occurring…We look forward to keeping abreast of the progress of the
renovations over the next three years.. .We will miss the Biltmore's lovely
buffets, the historic Victorian charm, the long walks through the two miles of
corridors, the many gables and chimneys and especially the Christmas holiday
decorations and ambiance."
Click link for video and full text. Our Save the Biltmore
Preservationist vice president Ed Jameson was interviewed for this video
segment.
Fox TV News Monday June 1, 2009
By Alcides Segui
Belleview Biltmore closing until 2012
$100 million renovation
project set to begin
BELLEAIR - A piece of Bay Area history is
about to close its doors.
The Belleview Biltmore
is one of the oldest wooden structures in the U.S. and
is among 168 historic treasures that have been
identified since 1988.
"It's the root of Pinellas County
history. It had all the movers and shakers of the people
really had influence on the 19th century," said Ed
Jameson, the Vice President of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists. "It made people aware of Pinellas
County."
A
schematic design depicts the proposed Belleview Biltmore
Cabana Club in the Sand Key area.
CLEARWATER – Five Sand Key-area residents are hoping that the
third time is the charm.
After losing at Clearwater’s Community Development Board and in an
administrative hearing, they have filed an action in hopes that a three-judge
panel from the 6th Judicial Circuit will prevent the owners of the Cabana Club
from building a six-story, 38-room Victorian-style “boutique hotel” and a new,
165-seat restaurant on the land that they lease for their current restaurant.
Belleview Biltmore Spokeswoman Amy
McGuire feels that the city should welcome the project because it will provide
both temporary construction jobs and permanent jobs in the restaurant and hotel.
“The positive side of this project is that it has a lot of support at all
levels,” McGuire said. “Everybody is committed to seeing it become a reality.”
Nobody knows exactly how long it will take for the court to issue its final
ruling.
“Depending on the first few steps, it could be six to eight months,” McGuire
said.
Belleview Biltmore’s Tree Wins Award at Clearwater’s Festival of Trees
Belleview Biltmore’s nonprofit organization, Save the
Biltmore Preservationists, created a Belleview Biltmore Hotel holiday Christmas
tree for the 2008 Festival of Trees in Clearwater. This was their first entry.
The Biltmore tree won a second place red ribbon in the seven-foot tree division
for hand-crafted ornaments. The tree had 55 ornaments on it with photos
depicting the historic journey of the Belleview Biltmore Hotel from 1896 when it
was built to the 2012 proposed renovations by the new owner Legg Mason Real
Estate Investors. The Biltmore tree took about 60 hours to complete including
the unique, hand-crafted tree topper gazebo that illuminates three historic
views of the hotel.
Next to the tree were displays of other Biltmore
memorabilia, antique photos, furniture, a history of the hotel and some vintage
apparel from different eras, which add to the theme of the tree.
Belleair Bee Front Page Thursday December 4, 2008
Biltmore Christmas
"The Belleview Biltmore Hotel 1896-Renovated 2012"
Christmas tree, decorated by Save the Biltmore Preservationists and depicting
the historic journey of the Biltmore, earned a second place ribbon at
Clearwater's Festival of Trees.
The historic 1897 Victorian-style Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa was saved from
demolition because of widespread Tampa Bay community support both inside and
outside of Belleair, Belleair commissioner support and G. Michael Harris finding
buyer Legg Mason Real Estate Investors, which will return the "White Queen of
the Gulf" to its original splendor.
Unfortunately, three historic Pinellas County properties have been demolished
over the past two years, another will be partially demolished and one other
building's fate is in question. History once demolished can never be recreated.
In February 2008 Pinellas County established a countywide historic preservation
program and declared historic preservation as public policy. Pinellas County can
slow demolition of historic buildings once a historic preservation ordinance is
passed. However, people need to be aware that this depends upon the acceptance
of the Pinellas preservation ordinance by each individual city, in a timely
manner.
Citizens need to contact their representatives to ensure their cities agree to
historic preservation. Otherwise, more of Pinellas County's history will fall
under the wrecking ball of development.
If one of your valuable historic structures is under threat of demolition in
your city, contact local preservation societies, speak out at city commission
meetings, and if necessary, start a grass roots effort and organize a nonprofit
organization with a Web site to try to save a building from demolition.
We encourage Tampa Bay residents to further participate in saving our valuable
history.
Diane Hein, president, Save the Biltmore Preservationists, (www.SaveTheBiltmore.com),
Clearwater
Hotel Online Special Report June 25, 2008
Nobody Asked Me, But… No. 41
Hotel Developers Take Note
By Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC
June 2008
1. A Landmark Hotel is Saved - The final Belleview Biltmore renovation plans
proposed by the new owner, Legg Mason were unanimously approved (with some minor
changes) by Bellaire town officials on May 20, 2008. The project will include
replacing the Japanese pagoda-like entrance to more of its original Victorian
look; a new East wing separate hotel will be three stories instead of four but
extended by 30 feet wide; more meeting, convention and ballroom space; a new
poolside café, a new spa and a new underground parking garage. Congratulations
to Diane Hein and all the "Save-the-Biltmore" preservationists.
Click link above for full story September 21, 2007
GRAND HOTEL, GRAND PLAN
"We're preserving a legacy for future generations," said Joe
Penner, managing director for Legg Mason Real Estate Investors of Los Angeles.
Legg Mason paid nearly $30.3-million for the landmark in June.
Penner predicted the restored hotel will one day be a
five-star resort, "one we can all be proud of."
Richard Heisenbottle, president of Heisenbottle Architects of Coral Gables, said
there would be selective demolition "of noncontributing structures." When he
announced that the pagoda- style lobby built in the 1990s was on the hit list,
the crowd cheered and applauded. Heisenbottle described a "grand entrance"
with palm and shade trees, fountains and a Victorian-style porte-cochere. The
lobby will be a "soaring three stories" and built in traditional Victorian
style.
Ed Jameson, vice president of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists, applauded the developer's plans, but worried about closing the
hotel for up to two years during renovations.
"Hotels and other vacant property can be more vulnerable to damage from fire,
gas, water, electrical, hurricanes and vandalism during renovations," he said.
He suggested either the town or Legg Mason provide 24-hour, round-the-clock
security for the property.
After the presentation, Belleair Commissioner and local
architect Stephen Fowler praised Heisenbottle's presentation and his award-
winning firm, which has been praised by the National Trust for Historic
Preservation and Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.
Thanks to Kay Norred of our local Pinellas County TV station for
interviewing our nonprofit organization Save the Biltmore Preservationists at the Biltmore entrance in regards to the new renovation
plans. Click here
http://www.pinellascounty.org/inside_pinellas.htm and then click on
Inside Pinellas streaming video. The Biltmore segment is about five minutes
into the show.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now
that the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa is saved, the
nonprofit organization, Save the Biltmore Preservationists,
Inc. will work towards promoting and preserving this
beautiful Victorian hotel both in and out of our community.
Save the Biltmore Preservationists is offering a variety of
memberships that will enable them to continue to preserve
and promote the Biltmore in the future with your help. Save
the Biltmore has been dedicated to saving all four wings of
the Belleview Biltmore Spa and Resort since 2004 and will
continue do so in the future. In saving the golden treasures
of the past, we bank on enriching the present and the
future. To find out more visit
http://www.savethebiltmore.com.
Note readers: Bay News 9 interviewed Ed
Jameson, our vice president of our nonprofit organization, Save the Biltmore
Preservationists for their TV news segment June 24, 2007. Here is their online
article.
Saving the Belleview Biltmore
Bay News 9 TV Sunday, June 24,
2007
New ownership has big plans for the Belleview Biltmore, which
has stood for more than a century.
A symbol of Tampa Bay will continue to stand,
looking over the water as it has for more than a century.
It's been a
fight for the past few years for preservationists. And now that the Belleview Biltmore
Resort is under new ownership, they're boasting with relief.
It's a
victory for those who fought a hard fight to save a piece of
history.
"It's been a place where people could come with their side cars
from the railroad," Save the Biltmore Preservationist Edward Jameson said. "It was just a resort
of the ages in the 1890s."
The Belleview Biltmore resort was threatened
with demolition until this past week, when a new real estate investment group
bought the property.
Jameson has been a great part of the effort to save
the Biltmore.
Preservationist Edward
Jameson said the Belleview Biltmore was the place to be in the
1890s.
"We've heard that they
would be replacing that pagoda. And they would also be adding maybe a convention
center and doing some other changes for the hotel," Jameson said. "It all sounds
very positive."
The fight that began in 2004 is finally over, and
preservationists hope to restore the Biltmore to what it was in its hey
day.
"It's the root of Pinellas County history," Jameson said. "It's
where the movers and shakers of the 19th century came."
The Belleview
Biltmore sits at the water's edge in Belleair. The resort, which includes a golf
course and spa, was built in 1897.
The Belleview Biltmore Resort
and Spa has been purchased by Legg Mason Real Estate Investors.
BELLEAIR – The historic Belleview Biltmore Resort is now officially under
new ownership.
Principals of the buyer, Legg Mason Real Estate
Investors, and the seller, Belleview Biltmore Resort Ltd., wrapped up the
exhaustive process of completing the massive amount of paperwork involved in the
transaction late in the day on June 20.
“We have fought long and hard to save all four wings (of
the hotel) since I launched my Web site in 2004, so having succeeded in that
goal is very gratifying,” said Diane Hein, founder of http://www.tbnweekly.com/scripts/jumplink.php?url=www.SaveTheBiltmore.com.
“The reality of its being saved is certainly a joyous occasion for all, and I
thank the community for their support during for the past few years.”
Capturing the charm of the Belleview
Biltmore By WAYNE
AYERS
BELLEAIR – Located in an area that many say is losing its
charm to over development, the Belleview Biltmore has stood as an ageless symbol
of beauty, style and casual elegance.
With developers eyeing the classic hotel for possible
demolition, one tiny, classically elegant piece of jewelry may play a role in
its salvation.
The piece is a charm, a decorative pendant which has enjoyed
periods of popularity in the form of a charm bracelet. Charms were collected to
capture memories of treasured life experiences … places visited, associations,
relationships. It is said that Queen Victoria wore charm bracelets.
Prices set for the hand crafted charms are $75.00 for
sterling; $100 for gold over sterling vermeil; and $400 for 14kt gold. Charms
may be viewed and ordered at our online store. Since all
charms are custom made to order, a time period of 4 to 6 weeks must be allowed
for creation and delivery.
Tony Blue displays
three of his eight Biltmore mixed media art series including, from left,
“Gardenias on the Veranda,” “Victorian Charm” and “The White Queen of the
Gulf.”
Artist’s work to benefit Belleview Biltmore preservation
effort
Photo courtesy of http://www.savethebiltmore.com/ Tony Blue displays three of his eight Biltmore mixed media
art series including, from left, “Gardenias on the Veranda,” “Victorian Charm”
and “The White Queen of the Gulf.”
BELLEAIR – Local artist Tony Blue has created a series of
eight beautiful, mixed media art pieces showcasing the Belleview Biltmore Hotel.
He will donate 20 percent of sales proceeds to the nonprofit organization Save
the Biltmore Preservationists.
Blue is offering the art as limited edition (150 maximum)
giclée prints on canvas. They come stretched, signed by the artist and numbered,
mixed media and ready to frame. Photos of the remaining five of the series may
be found at http://www.savethebiltmore.com/
and any or all of them may be purchased at the online store.
Save the Biltmore bookmarks, year-at-a glance
calendars, greeting cards fine art photography, are also being sold online to
help raise money for the hotel’s preservation.
ART OF TONY BLUE Click here
to see the new posting of the beautiful Belleview Biltmore Hotel series by local
artist Tony
Blue.Total of eight.
Photo
courtesy of www.SAVETHEBILTMORE.com Supporters of the
Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa are delighted with passage of the town’s new
historic preservation ordinance.
Photo courtesy
of www.SAVETHEBILTMORE.com Features
of the original lobby of the Belleview Biltmore are protected under provisions
of the town’s historic preservation ordinance.
"Regardless of the ordinance, Stroud and Belleair leaders
claim the town's comprehensive plan, adopted in 1999, already protects the
Belleview Biltmore, which is referenced about a dozen times. "
Attorneys with expertise in preservation and municipal
zoning laws are now advising town officials that they are on solid legal ground
if they want to fight the demolition.
Tearing down the hotel, they said, is contrary to the town's
long-range comprehensive plan and therefore would not be allowed by
law.
"The city is not legally entitled to issue permits which
violate its own comp plan," said Stephen Helfman, a Miami land use and zoning
lawyer hired by the town.
"She concurred with town leaders, who said existing town
rules require an extensive review of the proposed demolition by officials and
the public and that the town's comprehensive plan might not allow the hotel's
destruction.
The existing rules protect the Biltmore, Stroud said, but
she added that it would be better protected with an ordinance that has the
details and procedures for preservation outlined."
***Readers note:
Thanks to the efforts of this Save the Biltmore nonprofit organization with this
web site, we moved forward at the Belleair workshop meeting, October 4 2005, to
make sure the interior of the Biltmore is protected as well as the exterior, a
VERY important step to ensure that the historical charm that the inside will be
preserved no matter who buys the hotel. An amendment was passed that will
ensure protection of the interior of the hotel. We thank the commissioners
and Mayor for their approving of this amendment.
Belleair’s Historic Preservation Ordinance Clearwater
Gazette October 27, 2005 By Renee
Burrell
Diane Hein President Save the Biltmore Preservationists,
commented before the vote, “I do hope that all of Belleair’s commissioners vote
"yes" to pass it to show their support of saving the Biltmore Hotel. It will
take 30 days for the ordinance to go into effect once passed, but preservation
attorney Nancy Stroud has been quoted as saying that Belleair's Comprehensive
Plan will protect the hotel from demolition.” Belleair’s planning
and zoning meeting convened on the 18th, with the historic preservation board on
hand. Attorney Stroud reviewed the changes previously recommended by board
members and commissioners, including stronger language to protect the hotel
interior’s most significant elements with regard to location, design, material
and workmanship. Stroud incorporated language in the ordinance that will enable
Belleair to become a certified local government, opening doors to preservation
grants, preserving the town’s heritage and attracting historical tourism.
According to the ordinance, Urdang will have to abide by the ordinance codes
along with other historical property owners. One of which gives the town the
authority to fine property owners who intentionally or inadvertently neglect
historic sites.
Belleair passes ordinance aimed at saving hotel from
destruction (readers note, only the first draft of the ordinance has
passed)By Leo
Coughlin
BELLEAIR - The preservation ordinance aimed at keeping the
historic Belleview-Biltmore hotel from being torn down was passed by the Town
Commission on first reading October 4, but a leading advocate of preservation
still isn’t satisfied.
Diane Hein, who led the fight to keep a developer from
demolishing the hotel – the largest occupied wooden structure in the world -
wants the Preservation Board to have enforcement powers.
Nancy Stroud, the lawyer whom the town engaged for the
specific purpose of handling matters related to the hotel issue once plans were
revealed that it might be torn down, said she favored the commission being the
final authority on preservation matters.
Hein’s group had drummed up tremendous opposition to the
DeBartolo’s group plans to demolish the hotel and build new
residences.
Blocking Urdang’s plans boils down to a race to the barn, so
to speak, because once the preservation ordinance takes effect in mid-November
it will trump any plans to tear down the hotel.
The 25-page ordinance created by Stroud contains many
elements including preservation of other historic homes and measures to prevent
an owner of any designated historic structure from allowing the building to
become decrepit through neglect.
Biltmore preservation group wants no condo aspect in
hotel by Leo Coughlin
While it appears DeBartolo Development has backed off from
its plans for a project on the site of the Belleview Biltmore Hotel, a rival
bidder for the property is a threat also, according to Diane Hein, president of
Save the Biltmore Preservationists. (please note THIS web site!) Hein makes it
clear that her group is opposed to the total demolition of the Biltmore. She
wants complete historical preservation of the hotel. A lawyer specially engaged
for the purpose, Nancy Stroud, has formulated a preservation ordinance that will
be coming before the Belleair commission next month. Hein points out that the
Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables is run as a successful hotel that has been
extensively preserved through the efforts of a strong preservation ordinance.
Other hotels in the country, she says, that are similarly run as successful
hotels while being under preservation protection are Victorian Grand Hotel in
Mackinac Island in Michigan and the Coronado Hotel in San Diego.
READERS: We here at Save the Biltmore Preservationists
are pleased that DeBartolo has backed off because their most recent plan was to
demolish the north and south wings as of their presentation to Belleair last
week. They backed off due to public pressure and lack of support by the town
officials for their plans. My http://www.savethebiltmore.com/ web
site has worked tirelessly to stop the total demolition of the Biltmore since
April of this year, 2005. I actually put up this web site in December,
2004, when I first heard the Biltmore was to be demolished. I want to
thank Biltmore supporters and Belleair citizens who attended town meetings and
or wrote letters to help save the Biltmore over the past few months.
Our group is for historical PRESERVATION OF THE BILTMORE
BOTH INSIDE AND OUT! The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables/Miami, Florida is run as
a successful hotel which has been extensively preserved through the efforts of a
strong preservation ordinance giving many decisions to their historic
preservation board. The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida does NOT have
high-end condo/hotel units in their historic hotel!!! The historic
Victorian Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island is run successfully with NO condo/hotel
units! The Victorian Hotel del Coronado Hotel in San Diego and the
Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas is successfully run with NO condo/hotel
units!
NATIONAL TRUST PLACED THE BELLEVIEW BILTMORE ON ITS 11
MOST ENDANGERED LIST IN 2005 The National Trust
included the Belleview Biltmore in a list it released on Thursday, June 2, 2005
of America's 11 most endangered historic places. The National Trust
has helped save many historical buildings through its efforts in bringing
national awareness to historic places. The Belleview Biltmore already has
been placed on the Florida Trust's 11 most endangered historic places as a
result of this save the Biltmore web site with so many people writing to this
preservation organization and raising Florida State awareness per the
ONE MINUTE EMAIL campaign. The
following quote is from the National Trust web site: “Today, the
Belleview Biltmore is still one of West Florida’s most picturesque and beloved
landmarks–and a thriving destination as well, attracting thousands of guests
yearly. "Like other historic hotels, the Belleview Biltmore is a link to
America’s past, offering guests top-quality accommodations with an appealing
taste of history,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust. “But
unlike many other historic hotels that are threatened, this one is still doing a
thriving business. That makes it doubly hard to understand why its demolition is
necessary–or even sensible.” For the complete National Trust
article: http://www2.nthp.org/11Most/2005/belleview.html
Click the link below for the full story in the St. Petersburg Times, "Historic
hotel added to endangered list Belleview Biltmore supporters hope a
national list will give them traction against demolition plans." By Lorri
Helfand, Times Staff Writer Published June 3, 2005 http://sptimes.com/2005/06/03/Tampabay/Historic_hotel_added_.shtml
Welcome to Save the Biltmore Preservationists, Inc., a
nonprofit organization. A group of people dedicated to saving the
Belleview Biltmore Hotel, all four wings and all guest rooms so this beautiful
building remains a REAL historic hotel.We welcome volunteers interested in helping us save the
Biltmore. We will NEVER own the hotel, and we are AGAINST any group
that wants to put ultra modern hotel/condo units in the Biltmore that would
require extensive remodeling and against anyone wanting to put condominiums
around the Biltmore!
Officers of Save
the Biltmore Preservationists:
Diane Hein, President
Jamie Stone, Vice President
Doug Mann, Secretary/Treasurer
To be on my Biltmore
Update mailing list to receive news of the Biltmore and hotel events and
activities Email me Diane Hein.
In December, 2004, Diane Hein, launched this web site, http://www.savethebiltmore.com/ after it was reported that the Belleview Biltmore was to be
torn down. "I wanted to use this web site to help generate ideas to help
save the entire hotel. Fortunately there was enough
public support voiced that this did not happen, and the Biltmore was spared the
wrecking ball! I love historical buildings and artifacts, hence my
interest in saving the Biltmore.
"On April 12, 2005, The St. Petersburg Times newspaper
published an article indicating that the Belleview Biltmore AGAIN was under
contract to be sold and destroyed. They mentioned this web site, http://www.savethebiltmore.com/, as I
had kept it up and running, as I felt that it would only be a matter of time
until another attempt would be made to destroy it. My worse fears came
true. Honeywell and Urdang had a contract to sell the Belleview Biltmore
to the DeBartolo group and put condos in its place and possibly another
hotel. For nine months with much public support and the efforts of this
web site, the Biltmore has been spared demolition.
"My personal vision, along with my late husband and our
nonprofit vice president, Ed Jameson,
would be to have the Belleview Biltmore as a world class golf, tennis and
tourist resort. We could include more museums inside, woodworking
and stained glass artifacts, classes and stores, to pick up on the fact that the
Biltmore is the largest continually occupied wooden structure in the
world. (The Biltmore has an authentic glass
Tiffany ceiling in the
Tiffany ballroom.) We could include a Victorian lobby, Victorian decorated rooms
for a higher price, beautiful gardens for people to walk around in and then
later they could enjoy afternoon lunch or tea on Biltmore's lovely out door
veranda. A recent article in the St. Petersburg Times newspaper indicated
that people are wanting more historical sites to visit, so the Victorian
Biltmore would have a grand future ahead of her! And with Baby Boomers heading into retirement, they will
want to go to historic places even more. So how about it Supporters and
friends of the Belleview Biltmore, this is the perfect opportunity for YOU to
help us promote the Belleview Biltmore so that tourists have a historical place
and perhaps all kinds of interesting museums inside the Biltmore to visit right
here in Florida!
"Now that the Biltmore is saved, the purpose of this web site
is to gain community, county, state and national awareness and attention to
promote and preserve this historic Victorian hotel, the Belleview Biltmore
Hotel, largest continuously occupied wooden
structure in the world, built in 1896, Belleair, Florida, Pinellas
County. The Belleview Belleair Biltmore Hotel was built in shingle
architectural style, Queen Anne, by Henry Bradley Plant and is on the National
Historic Register. Many famous dignitaries have been guests at this hotel
including President George Bush, President Jimmy Carter, President Gerald Ford,
the former King of England, (the Duke of Windsor) the Vanderbilts, the Pew
family of Sun Oil, the Studebakers, the DuPonts, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and
Lady Margaret Thatcher.
"Join us and become a member to help preserve and promote the
Biltmore. Memberships include
beautiful gifts and a certificate."
The Belleview Biltmore Hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1979. It helps qualify the hotel to receive historic tax credits
for any renovation plans.
I have received many emails for this web site as a result of
many media publications so I want to thank all of them for mentioning http://www.savethebiltmore.com/.
I also want to thank everyone who who emailed their support at this web site to
save the Belleview Biltmore Hotel. May everyone who loves this
historic hotel join together to preserve it now so that it will be saved for our
generation and for future generations to come.
If you would like to be on the mailing list to receive
current events information and Belleview Biltmore Updates about the
Biltmore, just click Belleview Biltmore
Supporters Mailing List and I, Diane Hein, President of Save the Biltmore
Preservationists, will add your name and email
address to my mailing list.
In saving the golden treasures of the past, we bank on
enriching the present and the future.
We are not just saving a hotel, we are saving
history!
Below is a newspaper article
from the St. Petersburg Times, April 12, 2005 relating to the destruction and
preservation of the Belleview Biltmore Hotel; it is in this article that
this web site, http://www.savethebiltmore.com/, was
first mentioned in the news media.
Developers set to buy historic
hotel A
company that planned to raze the Belleview Biltmore last year and build condos
has the property under contract.
By AARON SHAROCKMAN and LORRI
HELFAND
Published April 12,
2005
[Times files: Scott
Keeler] The
Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa was opened in 1897 by railroad magnate Henry
Plant. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BELLEAIR - The developers who
tried to raze the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa and replace it with
condominiums last year have the property under contract again, the company said
Monday.
This time, however, the Tampa
developers are not revealing their plans for the 19th century
landmark.
DeBartolo Development, a
company that primarily builds shopping centers, has had a deal in place for
almost two weeks to buy the 244-unit resort, said Jay Adams, the company's
development officer.
But no one from DeBartolo or
the resort's current owners would discuss terms of the proposed sale or the
future of the 160-acre resort, which includes a golf course and beach
club.
"I can verify we do have it
under contract," Adams said Monday afternoon, referring other questions to the
company's president, Ed Kobel. Kobel did not return messages
Monday.
DeBartolo was part of a group
last year that proposed demolishing the hotel and replacing it with hundreds of
condominiums, an idea that infuriated many residents in the small waterside
community.
That plan flopped in January
after developers said they could not win public support for the
project.
Whispers of a second proposed
sale swirled through Belleair over the weekend. Many residents have already
promised another vociferous fight if plans include scrapping the historic
hotel.
For their part, town officials
said on Monday they were again left in the dark. None of Belleair's five
commissioners had heard a deal had been struck; they were upset the last time
when they read about the potential sale of their most prized asset in the
newspaper.
"I hope it's not true," said
Commissioner Gary Katica. "It's such a part of this town I would think the
people of Belleair would be in an uproar."
"It's going to stir up a lot of
people," Commissioner Ernst Upmeyer said. "Basically, I have a great love for
that building and I would hate for anything to happen to it."
Further fueling speculation
about the hotel's fate, a local construction company asked the town last week
about the procedure for demolishing a commercial property, though it would not
say what it was.
The town of Belleair, which is
about 2 square miles, has just a handful of commercial properties. The company,
Cross Construction, would not discuss the project it is
researching.
"That question should answer
itself in a couple of days," said Dwight Hopkins, a
representative.
An executive with the resort's
current owners, Urdang and Associates, a Pennsylvania investment management
firm, said Monday the firm does not comment on individual investments. Honeywell
Inc., one of the larger shareholders in the Biltmore, said in a statement that
decisions are made by the Pennsylvania company.
Richard Wilhelm, who runs the
hotel, did not return calls seeking comment.
Former Town Commissioner Connie
Mudano said it would be a tragedy if developers bulldoze the hotel, which was
placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
"This is a very valuable
building. It's the center and soul of the town of Belleair," Mudano said. "It's
the reason that Belleair exists."
Built by railroad tycoon Henry
Plant and opened in 1897, the 820,000-square-foot Belleview Biltmore is regarded
as the largest occupied wooden structure in the world and is one of Florida's
few remaining historic hotels.
Presidents George Bush, Jimmy
Carter and Gerald Ford have all been guests, as have baseball legends Joe
DiMaggio and Babe Ruth. The Duke of Windsor once wintered
there.
But more recently, the resort
has struggled to stay afloat financially.
While managers have
consistently said the hotel is solidly booked, some employees have said
otherwise. In fact, the property has a history of steep losses for past
owners.
Atlanta hotelier Salim Jetha,
who bought the hotel for $16-million with his family in 1997, said a year later
they were losing $228,000 a month.
Mido Development, the Japanese
ownership group before that, at one point was reportedly losing more than
$400,000 a month on the property it bought for $27-million.
Last month, a judge ordered the
resort's owners to pay $36,000 to three companies - including the Tampa Tribune
- it had neglected to pay. Brad Cranston, who runs a temp agency, said resort
managers gave him the runaround when he tried to collect the $13,012 the resort
owed him.
"They were pretty much playing
games with me," said Cranston, franchise owner of Adecco Employment Services,
which had at least three people working at the hotel for three months starting
in April 2004.
Cranston took the resort to
court. He said his company received half the money Monday
morning.
Here is a link to the Biltmore
Hotel in Asheville. I am placing this link in the hopes that a search
engine will pick this link and help people to read this web site! http://www.biltmore.com/
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Now
that the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa is saved, the
nonprofit organization, Save the Biltmore Preservationists,
Inc. will work towards promoting and preserving this
beautiful Victorian hotel both in and out of our community.
Save the Biltmore Preservationists is offering a variety of
memberships that will enable them to continue to preserve
and promote the Biltmore in the future with your help. Save
the Biltmore has been dedicated to saving all four wings of
the Belleview Biltmore Spa and Resort since 2004 and will
continue do so in the future. In saving the golden treasures
of the past, we bank on enriching the present and the
future. To find out more visit
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