Unconfirmed reports of the demolition of the Hollywood Beach Resort have raised concerns among local residents about the future of the former hotel built by city founder Joseph Young.
But the fate of the nearly 100-year-old relic, which was vacated last summer after the city declared it uninhabitable, remains uncertain. The city has no formal plans to demolish the entire structure or develop the existing beachfront property, which was most recently managed by a homeowners association.
What is confirmed: At least a small portion of the building will be demolished. The property owners applied for a permit to demolish the wood-frame canopy at the back of the hotel in February 2023 and paid the price of $5,383 to tear down that portion, online records show. They received a demolition permit earlier this month.
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Hollywood spokeswoman Joann Hussey said a building official approved the construction of a fence around the property to prevent unauthorized entry during demolition.
The building has both a building code violation and a violation of Broward County’s building code and inspection program. A 50-year recertification conducted in 2022 found the building needed structural and electrical repairs, the recertification report said.
Built by Young in 1925, the Hollywood Beach Resort featured 500 rooms and what was then the world’s largest solarium. Located in the city’s historic district, the hotel played a crucial role in World War II as it served as a U.S. Navy training and education school.
After the war, the hotel was renovated and reopened under new management. After its heyday, the hotel housed Florida Bible College, a movie theater, and a shopping center before eventually becoming a timeshare condominium.
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In recent years, New York-based developer Chetrit Group has purchased the condos but has not indicated what it plans to do with the property. Efforts to reach representatives of Chetrit Group were unsuccessful, and an attorney representing the developer said he could not provide further information about the property.
Clive Taylor, president of the Hollywood Historical Society, said the part of the building to be demolished is an extension completed in the 1980s that is in “very poor condition.”
Taylor said the owners may face complications in developing the property because the parking garage and the land in front of the hotel are under different ownership.
“There are many pieces to this puzzle, but the land is valuable,” Taylor said.
