Ah, the 1920s. Back then, The Florida qualified as one of the grandest structures in Lakeland, Fla. With its bell tower and Spanish Revival-style architecture, the 180-room hotel stood out at the center of downtown. It entertained famous guests such as inventor Thomas Edison and architect Frank Lloyd Wright. During World War II, it did its patriotic service for the country as The New Florida Hotel; Red Cross volunteers used the bell tower as a lookout for enemy planes. But over time, the formerly illustrious building evolved into a senior residence and then finally became vacant in 1991.