The people have spoken -- 2.8 million of them in fact -- and the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach was voted the best building in the state in a competition hosted by the Florida division of the American Institute of Architecture.
The millions of voters chose from 100 buildings, narrowed down from more than 250 entries from the institute’s 13 Florida chapters. South Florida led the pack with 22 buildings between Miami, Coral Gables and Miami Beach.
That came as no surprise to Vicki Long, the executive vice president and CEO of AIA Florida: “You just have a vision in your mind when you think of Miami and South Beach and the Art Deco and the skyline," she told HuffPost Miami. "It’s just fabulous.”
The Fontainebleau, which also won in the hotel category, opened in 1953 and was designed by Morris Lapidus with signature design elements such as circular ceilings, bowtie tile elements, and a “stairway to nowhere.” In 2008, the hotel underwent a $1 billion renovation to restore the building's mid-century glamour.
View the slideshow below to see how the runners-up ranked.
The competition, which asked both architects and non-architects to vote, was held in honor of AIA-Florida’s 100th anniversary.
However, no contest comes without outcry. No building in St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, made the top 100 list.
“The folks in St. Augustine were upset,” Long said. “They started a couple write-in campaigns.”
Thanks to those angry efforts, the city’s Ponce de Leon Hotel/Flagler College ended up winning the write-in category.
Other buildings also made the cut in specialized categories, such as the Cinderella Castle in Disney World for recreational and Tampa’s Dali Museum for museums.
“I think one of the great things about Florida is each geographic region has a different style,” Long said. “We have an awful lot of variety and diversity in this state, and I think this competition has celebrated that variety and diversity.”
(Flickr photo by Joevare.)
Click below to view select rankings and the entire top 10:
92. Florida Life Building
Site: <a href="http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-sep-ruins-of-jacksonville-the-florida-life-building" target="_hplink">Florida Life Building</a> Location: Jacksonville Year Built: 1912 Architect: Henry John Klutho The acclaimed 11-story skyscraper exudes the Chicago high-rise style.
91. Tampa Museum of Art
Site: <a href="http://www.tampamuseum.org/" target="_hplink">Tampa Museum of Art</a> Location: Tampa Year Built: 2008 Architect: Stanley Saitowitz The architect's goal for the look of this museum was for it to loo like "a metal box sitting on a glass pedestal."
88. Rivergate Tower
Site: <a href="http://www.tampasdowntown.com/work/office-space/rivergate-tower.aspx" target="_hplink">Rivergate Tower</a> Location: Tampa Year Built: 1986 Architect: Harry Wolf, FAIA Affectionately known as the "beer can building" by residents, the architect designed its shape with the Fibonacci series.
87. Riverplace Tower
Site: <a href="http://www.gateriverplace.com/" target="_hplink">Riverplace Tower </a>/ Location: Jacksonville Year Built: 1967 Architect: Welton Becket & Associates with Kemp, Bunch and Jackson Architects Formerly the Gulf Life Tower, at 28 stories it was the tallest precast concrete building in the world until 2002, when the Paramount Apartments went up in San Francisco.
85. Vagabond Motel
Site: <a href="http://www.historicpreservationmiami.com/vagabond.html" target="_hplink">Vagabond Motel</a> Location: Miami Year Built: 1953 Architect: Robert Swartburg In true Miami fashion, not even motels can be designed without some flair. Statues of nymphs dance in the water near a pod of dolphins while the opposite side of the motel has a futuristic space feel.
84. Seaside
Site: <a href="http://www.seasidefl.com/" target="_hplink">Seaside - New Urbanism Township</a> Location: Seaside Year Built: 1984 Architect: Duany Plater-Zyberk The entire township of Seaside is recognized here -- a pedestrian town along the Gulf of Mexico.
82. Atlantis
Site: <a href="http://arquitectonica.com/blog/portfolio/residential/the-atlantis/" target="_hplink">Atlantis</a> Location: Miami Year Built: 1982 Architect: Arquitectonica This high rise is a mix of playful Miami colors in its sky court, whirlpool, red spiral staircase and other features.
81. Renaissance Vinoy Hotel
Site: <a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/tpasr-vinoy-renaissance-st-petersburg-resort-and-golf-club/" target="_hplink">Renaissance Vinoy Hotel </a> Location: St. Petersburg Year Built: 1925 Architect: Henry L. Taylor Originally the Vinoy Park Hotel, the historical hotel has been converted into a resort and golf club without compromising its Mediterranean revival architectural style.
80. Seaside Interfaith Chapel
Site: <a href="http://www.seasidefl.com/history/chapel/" target="_hplink">Seaside Interfaith Chapel</a> Location: Seaside Year Built: 2001 Architect: Merrill and Pastor Architects The center of the town of Seaside, this gothic-meets-beach church matches with the town's starch white structures.
79. Albion Hotel
Site: <a href="http://www.rubellhotels.com/" target="_hplink">Albion Hotel</a> Location: Miami Beach Year Built: 1939 by Polevitzky and Russell and renovation in 1997 by Carlos Zapata Studio A fixture on Lincoln Road, this hotel is an iconic member of the Art Deco era.
76. Gamble Plantation Historic State Park
Site: <a href="http://www.floridastateparks.org/gambleplantation/" target="_hplink">Gamble Plantation Historic State Park</a> Location: Ellenton Year Built: 1846 Architect: Unknown The oldest existing structure in the county, history has moved within the walls of this plantation: a home, Confederate Commissary Agency, hiding place, fertilizer warehouse, and now a the Repository of Florida Southern History and Artifacts.
72. Orange County Convention Center
Site: <a href="http://www.occc.net/" target="_hplink">Orange County Convention Center</a> Location: Orlando Year Built: 2003 Architect: TVS Architects of Atlanta, GA with Hunton Brady and HHCP More than 1 million delegates walk through the center's 7 million square feet, taking more than 25,000 employees to run the place.
70. Riverside Baptist Church
Site: <a href="http://riversideonline.org/" target="_hplink">Riverside Baptist Church</a> Location: Jacksonville Year Built: 1925 Architect: Addison Mizner The California architect was known for remaking Palm Beach, namely with Mediterranean-influenced structures.
69. Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)
Site: <a href="http://www.mosi.org/" target="_hplink">Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI)</a> Location: Tampa Year Built: 1978 Architect: Dwight Holmes of Rowe Holmes Associates The museum was originally built to be a part of the exhibits, with exposed plumbing and duct work so guests would be able to see how the structure worked.
67. Lincoln Theater
Site: <a href="http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3087" target="_hplink">Lincoln Theater</a> Location: Miami Beach Year Built: 1936 Architect: Robert E. Collins and Thomas White Lamb Currently under renovation, this historic building is a mesh of retail space, offices and a movie theatre that still draws a crowd.
66. Saint Edwards Roman Catholic Church
Site: <a href="http://stedwardpb.com/" target="_hplink">Saint Edwards Roman Catholic Church</a> Location: Palm Beach Year Built: 1926 Architect: Mortimer Dickerson Metcalfe The second oldest church in the Palm Beach diocese, it was built for $500,00 by 291 people.
65. T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum
Site: <a href="http://www.historicpensacola.org/" target="_hplink">T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum</a> Location: Pensacola Year Built: 1908 Architect: Charles Hill Turner The building houses the collection of artifacts Wentworth donated to the state.
64. St. James Building
Site: <a href="http://www.jaxhistory.com/Jax Arch Herit/D-44.htm" target="_hplink">St. James Building</a> Location: Jacksonville Year Built: 1912 Architect: Henry John Klutho Once home to the St. James Hotel, after it was destroyed by a fire, Klutho designed it into a department store. Today is serves as Jacksonville City Hall.
63. Sarasota High School Addition
Site: <a href="http://www.sarasotaarchitecturalfoundation.org/" target="_hplink">Sarasota High School Addition</a> Location: Sarasota Year Built: 1958 Architect: Paul Rudolph There are currently efforts to preserve the iconic building additions.
62. Tampa International Airport
Site: <a href="http://www.tampaairport.com/" target="_hplink">Tampa International Airport</a> Location: Tampa Year Built: 1965 Architect: Reynolds, Smith & Hills, Inc. The only airport of its kind, it has a central Landside Terminal for baggage and ticketing that is surrounded by four wings for airlines.
60. Orlando Public Library
Site: <a href="http://www.ocls.info/locations/mainlibrary/default.asp" target="_hplink">Orlando Public Library</a> Location: Orlando Year Built: 1985 Architect: John M. Johansen of CT Hsu with Duane Stark, Schweizer, Inc. and HKS Architects The library was originally built in 1966, and $22 million later it is the building residents are familiar with today.
59. Delano Hotel
Site: <a href="The Delano's symmetrical, frontal composition, centered on a projecting front porch and crowned by winged finials, makes a striking ensemble with its flanking prewar neighbors. The body of the tower erupts in angular jaunts that reflect a dynamic spirit," target="_hplink">Delano Hotel</a> Location: Miami Beach Year Built: 1947 Architect: Robert Swartburg In uber modern Miami, the Delano stands proudly with its other pre-war architecture to show a part of the city's past.
58. Ralph Middleton Munroe Miami Marine Stadium
Site: <a href="http://www.marinestadium.org/" target="_hplink">Ralph Middleton Munroe Miami Marine Stadium</a> Location: Miami Year Built: 1963 Architect: Pancoast, Ferendino, Grafton, Skeels and Burnham. The first of its kind, Miamians and tourists can watch water events from the comfort of the land. <em>(Flickr photo <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/luckylady777/3412600/">by Lisette Fernandez</a>.)</em>
56. Colony Hotel
Site: <a href="http://www.thecolonyhotel.com/florida/" target="_hplink">Colony Hotel</a> Location: Delray Beach Year Built: 1926 Architect: Martin Luther Hampton. Still a part of the downtown Delray Beach scenery, passersby can still see it original manually operated elevator, lobby chandeliers, skylights, fireplace mantle with carved galleon, terrazzo floor, and oak floors.
54. Florida Museum of Natural History
Site: <a href="http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/" target="_hplink">Florida Museum of Natural History </a> Location: University of Florida in Gainesville Year Built: 1971 Architect: William Morgan, FAIA Formerly known as the Florida Museum of Natural Sciences, this odd building appears smaller in the front, until it's revealed how much further into the earth it goes in the back.
53. Bacardi USA
Site: <a href="http://www.aiafltop100.org/building.cfm?idsBuilding=12" target="_hplink">Bacardi USA</a> Location: Miami Year Built: 1963 Architect: Enrique Gutierrez The building's blue and white hand-painted glasswork by artist Brazilian artist Francisco Brennand make this stand out. The top floors feature "translucent glass brick mosaic walls" by German artist Johannes Dietz.
51. Jacksonville Public Library -- Main
Site:<a href="http://jpl.coj.net/" target="_hplink"> Jacksonville Public Library</a> Location: Jacksonville Year Built: 2005 Architect: Robert A.M. Stern, FAIA Built to blend into the city's classical architecture, the library's grand front staircase leads to the grand reading room. The second floor is an oasis with a fountain and garden.
48. Epping Forest Yacht Club
Site: <a href="http://www.efyc.com/" target="_hplink">Epping Forest Yacht Club</a> Location: Jacksonville Year Built: 1927 Architect: Harold Saxelbye of Marsh & Saxelbye Built for the DuPonts, the mansion was created with 25 rooms and the garden was commissioned to be designed by the dean of the University of Florida's College of Agriculture. A lover of nature, DuPont displayed owls throughout the gardens.
47. George Lewis House / Spring House
Site: <a href="http://www.aiaflatop100.org/building.cfm?idsBuilding=29" target="_hplink">George Lewis House / Spring House</a> Location: Tallahassee Year Built: 1954 Architect: Frank Lloyd Wright The home of George Lewis is the only residential piece that the architect designed in Florida.
46. Bank of America Tower
Site: <a href="http://www.miamitower.net/" target="_hplink">Bank of America Tower</a> Location: Miami Year Built: 1987 Architect: I.M. Pei, FAIA. At 47 stories, the building also has a 10-story parking garage, sky lobby, and a retired helicopter pad on the roof.
45. Florida Aquarium
Site: <a href="http://www.flaquarium.org/" target="_hplink">Florida Aquarium</a> Location: Tampa Year Built: 1995 Architect: HOK Architects To show off aquatic wildlife, the museum has a simulated wetlands exhibit, beach, and a coral reef community in a 500,000 gallon tank.
44. Tampa Theatre
Site: <a href="http://tampatheatre.org/" target="_hplink">Tampa Theatre</a> Theatre: Tampa Year Built: 1926 Architect: John Eberson Another theatre built in the atmospheric style, guests could gaze into a ceiling where a night sky with stars and floating clouds was painted.
43. Knowles Memorial Chapel
Site: <a href="http://www.rollins.edu/chapel/" target="_hplink">Knowles Memorial Chapel </a> Location: Rollins College in Winter Park Year Built: 1932 Architect: Ralph Adam Cram. A gift from Frances Knowles Warren in memory of her father, Francis Bangs Knowles. He was a member of the church and had the vision for the state's first college, which became Rollins College.
42. Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art
Site: <a href="http://www.spcollege.edu/central/museum/" target="_hplink">Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art</a> Location: St. Petersburg College in Tarpon Springs Year Built: 2002 Architect: Hoffman Architects A place with oceanic industry, like the sponges cultivated every year, this museum stretching above a pond is fitting.
41. Historic Capitol Building
Site: <a href="http://www.flhistoriccapitol.gov/" target="_hplink">Historic Capitol Building (Restoration)</a> Location: Tallahassee Year Built: 1982 Architect: Herschel Shepard The original building went up in 1845, but in the 1970s a new capitol building was erected because of threat of demolition. It was created to look just like the original.
40. Plymouth Congregational Church
Site: <a href="http://www.plymouthmiami.org/" target="_hplink">Plymouth Congregational Church</a> Location: Coconut Grove Year Built: 1916 Architect: Clinton MacKenzie George E. Merrick, who procured the land with George Spalding, sent the architect to Mexico to study the architecture before designing the "Church in the Garden."
39. 1111 Lincoln Road
Site: <a href="http://www.1111lincolnroad.com/" target="_hplink">1111 Lincoln Road</a> Location: Miami Beach Year Built and Architects: Bank by Ferendino Grafton Pancoast in 1971 and parking by Herzog & De Meuron in 2009 Both a parking garage and event space, it welcomes shoppers at the western entrance of the Lincoln Road Mall.
38. Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts
Site: <a href="http://gusmancenter.org/" target="_hplink">Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts</a> Location: Miami Year Built: 1926 Architect: John Eberson The architect was the creator of the "atmospheric" theater design concept, the theatre is one of the last two in the state.
36. Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Site: <a href="http://paynechapelamewpb.org/" target="_hplink">Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church</a> Location: West Palm Beach Year Built: 1924 Architect: Hazel A. Augustus Located in the city's historic black Northwest District neighborhood, it was designed by West Palm Beach's first black architect.
35. Tampa Bay History Center
Site: <a href="http://www.tampabayhistorycenter.org/" target="_hplink">Tampa Bay History Center</a> Location: Tampa Year Built: 2009 Architect: Verner Johnson, Inc. Sitting on the downtown Tampa waterfront, the museum is at the end of a 2-mile pedestrian river walk that connects many cultural spots in the city.
34. Disney's Contemporary Resort
Site:<a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/contemporary-resort/" target="_hplink"> Disney's Contemporary Resort</a> Location: Lake Buena Vista Year Built: 1971 Architect: Welton Becket + Associates One of Walt Disney World's two original resorts, the design created a futuristic feel for its guests.
28 .University Auditorium
Site: <a href="http://performingarts.ufl.edu/venues/university-auditorium/" target="_hplink">University Auditorium</a> Location: University of Florida in Gainesville Year Built: 1922 Architect: William Edwards The gothic meets college campus auditorium is home to music concerts from the university and beyond.
27. Ca d'Zan, the Residence of John and Mable Ringling
Site: <a href="http://www.ringling.org/cadmansion.aspx" target="_hplink">Ca d'Zan</a> Location: Sarasota Year Built: 1926 Architect: Dwight James Baum A sprawling manion, the Ringlings' home meshes Italian splendor with the manifestation of the American Dream. With 56 rooms, the home is designed in the Venetian gothic style.
24. Casa Feliz
Site: <a href="http://www.casafeliz.us/" target="_hplink">Casa Feliz</a> Location: Winter Park Year Built: 1932 Architect: James Gamble Rogers, II Formerly the estate of Robert Bruce Barbour, the building was moved from its original location on Lake Oceola to its current home in 2000 to save it from demolition.
23. Salvador Dali Museum
Site: <a href="http://thedali.org/" target="_hplink">Dali Museum</a> Location: St. Petersburg Year Built: 2011 Architect: HOK Tampa with Yann Weymouth, AIA. A museum that exudes the whimsy of its namesake, surrealist Salvador Dali. Its blue glass snaking through the building is reminiscent of the Louvre in Paris, as architect Yann Weymouth worked on both.
22. Vizcaya
Site: <a href="http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/" target="_hplink">Vizcaya</a> Location: Miami Year Built: 1916 Architect: F. Burrell Hoffman This Italian Renaissance style structure and gardens was built by more than 1,000 workers using native materials. Inside, there are 34 rooms decorated with antiques from the 15th through 19th centuries.
21. Cinderella Castle
Site: <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/" target="_hplink">Cinderella Castle</a> Location: Disney World in Orlando Year Built: 1971 Architect: W.E.D. Enterprises with Herbert Ryman as lead designer Dreams come true in this iconic structure of Disney World, modeled after the Castle Neuschwanstein in Bavaria.
20. Boca Raton Town Hall
Site: <a href="http://www.bocahistory.org/tour/town_hall.asp" target="_hplink">Boca Raton Town Hall</a> Location: Boca Raton Year Built: 1927 Architect: William Alsmeyer Home to Boca Raton's original town hall, the building is a combination of stucco, decorative cast stone, rusticated cast stone quoins, and iron grilles and balcony. All the original tile and flooring is intact.
19. Henry B. Plant Museum
Site: <a href="http://www.plantmuseum.com/" target="_hplink">Henry B. Plant Museum</a> Location: Tampa Built: 1891 Architect: Unknown Originally built as the Tampa Bay Hotel, it was repurposed into a museum in 1933 by John A. Wood.
18. Cuban Club
Site: <a href="http://thecubanclub.org/" target="_hplink">Cuban Club</a> Location: Ybor City in Tampa Year Built: Built Architect: M. Leo Elliot. The original meeting place of the Cuban National Club, today, it still brings people together as an event venue.
17. Temple Beth El Synagogue
Site: Temple Beth El Synagogue Location: West Palm Beach Year Built: 1967 Architect: Alfred Browning Parker
The Huffington Post | By Christiana Lilly Posted: 04/18/2012 5:52 pm Updated: 06/27/2012 11:26 am