Postcard circa 1960s
 
Cocoa Beach, Florida -- 2080 North Atlantic Blvd
 
Opening perhaps a little earlier than the Cocoa complex, Cocoa Beach was built to capture both beach goers and those vacationers who desired to be near the heart of America's Space Program.
 
 
 
 
 
Postcard circa 1970s
 
 
 
 
Photograph April 2003
 
 
Photos Jan 2005: Courtesy of Bob Venditti

Due to its desirable location, Cocoa Beach was a highly successful Motor Lodge complex. When the Howard Johnson Company was divided up between Marriott and Prime Motor Inns in 1986, Prime retained Cocoa Beach. Although Prime had a bad taste in its mouth from past restaurant ownership experience (pun intended), it nonetheless held on to the Cocoa Beach Restaurant, but soon converted it into Herbie K's -- a '50s diner themed eatery.

By the 2000s there was only a grassy lot where the Restaurant had been, and no evidence of the Gate Lodge remained at the site.

The original Motor Lodge lost the HJ name in 1998, but was later repatriated. Finally the classic complex was closed after the 2004 hurricane season. Demolished during 2005, its site will have become occupied by luxury condo/hotel units.

 
 
 
 
 
Closed after Florida's east coast was battered by a couple of hurricanes, the original Motor Lodge never reopened -- these photographs show it in the preliminary stages of preparation for demolition. The arrow below points to the circa 1987 high rise that eventually became a Doubletree.
 
 
 
 
 
Photograph October 2003: Courtesy of Phil Edwards
During 1987, Cocoa Beach was expanded when its high-rise beachside building was opened. With the new building, the old became an "Executive Section" sans its sliders and balconies, and the entire complex was redesigned a Plaza Hotel.
 
 
After losing the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel name in 1998, the high-rise section was eventually converted into a Doubletree.
Photograph April 2003
 
 
Photograph January 2005: Courtesy of Bob Venditti