This circa 1910 building, located at the Southwest corner of Franklin and Fortune Streets, used to house the 52-room Arlington Hotel on its top floor. The ground floor housed the hotel’s lobby and other retail businesses, including the Niles Drugstore on the corner, as pictured in this 1924 photo. Other companies include the Tampa Army store, a government surplus goods shop, and The Ideal Café and Restaurant. The hotel was around until 1946, when Badcock Furniture took over the ground floor, with the second floor becoming low-rent housing.

 Arlington Partners LLC purchased the building in 2000 and converted it into the Arlington Historic Lofts after it was successfully registered on the National Register of Historic Places. The ground floor was converted into ten office/retail condominium units, and the upper floor features 11 residential units, ranging from 680 to 1,500 square feet.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved