Category:Columbia Hotel, Allentown, Pennsylvania

The Columbia Hotel, was located on the northwest corner of Tenth and Hamilton Streets. Built in 1893, the hotel was styled after the German heritage of Allentown. When it was built, the hotel was not in the business district, but in the suburbs of Allentown. As time passed, and larger hotels, such as the Hotel Traylor (1917) and as the city grew into the west end, it became harder to attract patrons. It was renovated by its last owner in the spring of 1927, who basically turned it into a long-term rooming house. The restaurant inside the hotel was upgraded however the hotel was only marginally profitable. The hotel's owner died suddenly in January, 1929 and the property was closed.

The property was sold in February 1929, and immediately after the sale, the hotel's furniture and contents were advertised for sale. In August 1929, it was announced that the hotel would be torn down and replaced with a new six story hotel and office block with retail stores. The hotel was torn down, however the effects of the Great Depression led to the plans for redeveloping the site coming to an end. Subsequently the property was a vacant lot for about 20 years, although a small diner (Moore's Diner) opened on the Hamilton street side of the lot in 1939.

In early 1950, the lot was purchased by the Park and Shop cooperative which planned to build a two-story parking structure on the lot. The diner was moved to Tenth and Maple Streets (15 South Tenth Street) in May 1950 and construction began. The first floor of the building was partially dedicated to retail space, while the second story, actually a reinforced roof, would be a parking lot for the area. In November 1950, it was opened and the prominent business on the first floor was the Benioff Fur Store. In December 1991, the Park & Shop cooperative, co-owners of the deck, was taken over by the Allentown Parking authority. In January 1994, Benioff's closed and the store became the headquarters of the Allentown Parking Authority.

In 2010, the property was transferred to the Allentown Police department, which renovated the structure and it was turned into a satellite police station.