‍ The Lafayette Arcade, modeled after the Flatiron Building in New York, opened in 1926. According to the Tampa Daily Times, it was promoted as the largest business structure west of the Hillsborough River, housing 27 retail store spaces on the first floor and 43 offices on the top two stories. It was directly across Lafayette St (now Kennedy Blvd.) from the Tampa Bay Hotel (now the University of Tampa). Many businesses, including the Lafayette Bank, W.E. Lee Real Estate (owners of the building), and Beau Monde Women’s Wear, benefited from its proximity to downtown and tourists who visited the area. ‍ ‍

During the Great Depression, ownership of the property changed hands several times through a series of legal proceedings. Many of the building’s original architectural details have been covered with brown and white paint, and street parking has been removed. ‍ ‍

The entire block has historical significance. The adjoining Hensley-Stovall Arcade, once owned by newspaper magnate Wallace Stovall, is now home to the Oxford Exchange, a European-inspired building featuring a restaurant and a bookstore.  Between the Lafayette and the Hensley-Stovall arcades sits the building that housed the Park Theater, a popular movie house built in 1928. In 1964, it was taken over by the University of Tampa and renamed the David Falk Theater.  

© Chip Weiner. All rights reserved