In 1924, Melbourne celebrated the grand opening of the Melbourne Hotel, built by developer Elton Hall. From the late 1920's to the early 1960's, the first floor housed several specialty shops, a barbershop, a taxi dispatch station, and a drug store, while the Van Croix Theatre was built adjacent to the building. In the 1960's, U.S. Route 1 was widened to increase traffic flow, ending storefront parking for the first-floor shops. In the 1970's, Melbourne Bank and Trust/Flagship Bank bought the building and renovated the first and second floors for professional offices. In May 1984, Harry and Wendy Brandon bought it and renamed it the 1900 building because of its address and its reflection of the historic era in which it was built. The Brandons completed a full renovation of the third floor, reinstalled windows, added awnings, and continued using the building for professional offices. On Nov. 8, 1985, Brandon Properties, Inc. held the grand opening of the Downtown Office Center.