Recently, there has been much in the news concerning the Lincoln Yards along the North Branch of the Chicago River.  What exactly is this area?

     To answer this question, we have to search Chicago history.   In the 1890’s, Anton Finkl established a steel mill operation in the North side of Chicago in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.   It was located on a 22 acre site on the north branch of the Chicago River.  It was the oldest steel mill in the Chicago area.  It was in operation for 112 years before it was demolished.

     In 2016, a real estate developer named Sterling Bay purchased the former site of the steel mill for an amount estimated at $100 million.   This area was renamed the Lincoln Yards.  This site apparently included adjacent industrial sites totalling 54 acres.

     The original plans for this site called for for transformation of this industrial site into offices, apartments, shops and entertainment venues.  Also proposed as a 20,00o seat soccer stadium.  Positive sides of the plan call for new roads, bridges and public spaces.  There is a proposed extension of the 606 trail.  Many of these features.are to be financed by $800 million TIF

    Modifications of the plan called for.dropping the soccer stadium.    The high rises would be 650 feet instead of the original 818 feet.    The Lincoln Yards would have mine buildings in excess of 400 feet.

     Fortunately, Alderman Brian Hopkins has thrown a monkey wrench in the project.

Over the years, there have been multiple theaters at the same location in Patio de Leon, Fort Myers.    The first was the Court Theater.  This opened in 1916.  Not much is known about it.   This theater was purchased by E.J. Sparks.   He completely remodeled the theater in a Turkish Morrocan Style.   The  outside entrance was a Turkish Canopy.  This was opposite a pool containing alligators.  With much fanfare the newly renn ovated theater opened in March, 1926.  The name of the theater was the Omar.

In the late 1920’s, Mr. Sparks remodeled the theater again and renamed it the Ritz Theater.

This building is located at the corner of First Street and Hendry St, Fort Myers. It was built in 1905 by Dr. Benjamin Matheson. It was the home of the First National Bank and the Leon Hotel. The structure was constructed of pressed concrete blocks.

In 1912, Peter Tonnelier purchased the building. He remodeled the structure to include Mediterranean, Egyptian, and Moroccan motifs.

This building is one of the structures that surround the area known as Patio de leon.

Currently, the building now houses retail and apartments

This building is located at 1615 Hendry Street Fort Myers. This was originally known as the Phythian Building. It was built for Albertus A. Bertie Gardner in 1924. It was a four story Italianate Style Structure. It was the first building in Fort Myers with an elevater.

It was purchased in 1945 by R.Q. Richards. It was renamed the Richards Building.

It is currently operates as rental property.

     This building is located at 1625 Hendry Street.  Virgil Robb and W.R. Lee opened a general merchandise store in Fort Myers in 1915.  They were later joined by Harry Stucky.  Lee left the company in 1925.  

     The store was moved into a four story brick building at 1625 Hendry Street. The building had showrooms and a warehouse.  The company grew and expanded.  They moved out of the Hendry Street Building in the 1960’s.

     The company filed  for bankruptcy in 2011.  In the same year, the family of Samuel Kuo purchased the brand and intellectual properties.  The new first showroom opened in 2012.  The company grew and flourished.

    The old Robb and Stucky Building currently operates as rental property.

The Heitman Evans Building is located at 2235 First Street, Fort Myers. In the early 1900’s, Harvie Heitman convinced Edward Evans (a former mayor of Fort Myers) to join him in creation of the Heitman Evans Company. This was to be a hardware and sporting goods store. Evans was to be the manager; Heitman the silent partner. Heitman demolished the Blount General store at this site. He constructed a new building. It was two stories. It was a brick structure measuring 60 × 150 feet. The building was orange in color. It had 12 inch thick walls. It featured an Otis elevator. The ground level was a hardware store. The second level was for the display of farm implements. Construction costs were $20,000.

His goal was to build the most modern hardware store in America. Mr. Evans managed the story for 20 years. Gilmer Heitman served as president. The business closed in the 1940’s.

The building is now a rental facility for lawyers and other professionals.

Earnhardt Building

In April, 1914 Harvie Heitman contracted with a crew to tear down a livery stable and old frame buildings on the south side of First Street between the First National Bank Building and the Langford Block. This was for his new enterprise to be called the Earnhardt Building.

His plans for the project were promptly approved for a two story 193 foot long brick building with 33,000 square feet of space.

The Earnhardt Building was a distinctive structure with an external wall of cream pressed brick with white tile and terracotta trim. There were decorative cornices. There were 35 offices on the second floor. There was space for 8 stores on the ground floor.

The building was completed in February, 1915. It was alleged at the time that it had the only public restroom in Fort Myers with hot and cold water.

The first tenant renting in the building was McCrory Five and Dime Store. It was at this location for 75 years. Another renter was the law office of Shepard and Woolshair. They rented from 1945 to 1968.

The building was extensively remodeled by Dominick Goertz in the early 2000’s. There were then 15 loft apartments, office rental space and street level restaurants.

At the present time, there are multiple condo apartments.

This building at 2247 First Street, Fort Myers was the former Bradford Hotel. It opened in 1905. The building was designed by Harvie Heitman. Tootie McGregor provided the financing. The Hotel was named after her son. Contractor was Manuel Gonzales

The Bradford was managed by Charles Day.

The Bradford originally had 41 rooms. 5 years after the opening, an annex was added.

There was steam heat, electric lights, private baths, and carpeted halls. There was a large dining room on the second floor.

The building was constructed of 100,000 Chattanooga pressed bricks. There was a rounded corners entrance. There were arched windows and doors frames. There was a veranda around the building fronts on the second floor. The interior was lathe and plaster with native woodwork.

There were 4 store spaces on the first floor. They measured 25 × 65 feet. They had plate glass fronts.

In October, 1924, J.R. Randell became the new proprietor of the Bradford with a long lease. In 1979, it was sold to Bill Smith, Inc. by one of the Heitman daughters

Roy Bently and Russ Staley made improvements in the building from 1983 to 1985. The building is now known as the Bradford Apartment.

The first Floor has been occupied by the Florida Gulf Bank and later the Iberia Bank.