By Peter Roos
The road narrows when you go south of the treasured Don Cesar Hotel. Drivers pass the “Welcome to Pass-A-Grille” sign often without noticing “Homesteaded 1886,” focusing instead on the promenade of Washingtonian palms and the many homes, some reminiscent of an era when egos stopped, and simple life luxuries were born. In Pass-A-Grille, your neighbor might be a commercial fisherman, or a federal judge, and you can’t tell the difference when greeting them while on a walk along the shore. It’s an eclectic demographic that can never truly be duplicated, a social diversification that most communities strive for but could never accomplish, a commonality of people who… share a love of nature and history.
The signage that identifies the Pass-A-Grille Historic District can be easily missed by day trippers. Many locals take it all for granted, not realizing the history of this island, what it looked like 100 years ago or what it will take to keep it recognizable 100 years from now.
What exactly makes this unique piece of paradise special is as complex as deciding who you might ask. Some see it as a treasured entity that needs to be left alone, to let it evolve organically. Unfortunately, that leaves this place hopelessly vulnerable to the Coastal High Hazard Building Code, FEMA and ever-escalating land values. Makes one wonder what the future holds for such an iconic community and how to best preserve and protect the elements that make it so endearing to all who live in and visit this little outlier community.
People come to this area, love the small-scale historic properties, the laid-back atmosphere and decide to buy their slice of paradise. Some quickly realize the darling bungalows that make it so special do not provide the live-ability that couples with the lifestyle they desire. They often reluctantly choose to knock down and build the FEMA compliant structures that are so encouraged by the Florida Building Code and by insurance regulations and requirements.
Pass-A-Grille needs to decide how to best navigate those tremendous obstacles. It’s been said that 100 years ago, people built homes they could afford to lose because they were uninsurable. Many of the old hotels burned down and can only be enjoyed now through photographic archives on weekend mornings at the volunteer-operated Gulf Beaches Historic Museum on 10th Ave. Now, through a fundraising effort for the museum, a 2022 Calendar can be picked up at some of the charming shops and restaurants in the Eighth Ave. business district. The calendar is the newest historical publication in Pass-A-Grille.
An exciting new project slated in Pass-A-Grille is a proposal to build a boutique hotel on Eighth Ave. at Pass-A-Grille Way. The original Holloway 64-room hotel with 16 bathrooms and grand lobby was a welcome destination to those who visited the area for fishing and beach bathing in that era.
Unfortunately, it burned down in 1922. When the property where it sat became available, it wasn’t hard to imagine a rebirth of this iconic property. The new Holloway is being built to 85% of the possible density and its form follows the Historic Preservation Board guidelines and the city’s zoning to the letter.
When longtime resident Maryann Ferenc found out it was going on the market, she wanted to be involved. Maryann is best known throughout the region as a prominent figure in Tampa Bay hospitality and leadership circles. She has been honored as Tampa Bay Beach’s Chamber of Commerce “Tourist Person of the Year” and has served as chairperson of Visit Florida. Maryann has an emotional and physical connectivity to Pass-A-Grille, having lived in the historic district in an authentic 1910 Bungalow for the last 20 years. Her vision, her love of Pass-A-Grille and her innate understanding of the issues in the area, make her a great fit for bringing the Holloway back to life at the location in which it sat 100 years ago.
The new Holloway is slated to be a Forbes 5-Star Boutique Resort, with only 27 rooms, less than what’s allowable. The plans also include onsite parking to accommodate guests and staff. Onsite parking is not required under the zoning requirements in place, but the developers are conscious of the parking challenges in the popular beach destination, especially on weekends. The Holloway will be a tribute to Historic Pass-A-Grille and will also ensure a long-term sustainability and viability to the brick-and-mortar businesses that make up “the shortest main street in America, flanked by water.” Detailed plans for the resort were filed with FEMA on August 20, 2021, and are also available online. Google “Holloway Hotel Pass-a-Grille” and enjoy.
Thanks to Smith & Associates Realtor Melinda Pletcher for the inspiration and her vast contributions to making this story and future ones on the subject possible.
This site plan for the proposed Holloway Hotel’s ground floor is shown below. The yellow outlines show the footprint of the original Holloway and its outbuildings on the site. The pink outlines are the footprints of two homes that were also on the site at the time.
