Former Morgan Hotel

     The Morgan Hotel was located at 1415 Dean Street, Fort Myers.  John Morgan Dean, a Rhode Island developer, converted the former wooden Sanchez Boarding House into the Morgan Hotel by wrapping it in concrete blocks. It opened in 1924.

Former Morgan Hotel

     Morgan was given permission by the city to build Dean Street facing the hotel on one side.  The building had 62 rooms and 62 baths.  There were telephone booths in the lobby. There was a dining room on the roof and a solarium.  The main entrance was on First Street.   There was a railed railed front porch. 

     Hotel faced hard times in the 1930’s.    Name was changed to the Hotel Dean in 1970.   It closed in the 1970’s.  

     The building now features rental apartments.  Ford’s Garage Restaurant occupies the first floor.

Former Morgan Hotel

Former Morgan Hotel

Former Morgan Hotel

Franklin Arms Building

Located at 2320 First Street. The building was originally the Old Hill House. Opened in 1889, it was operated as a boarding house by Mary Hill and her Daughter Flossie.

In 1918, the building was purchased by W.P. Franklin. He renovated the structure in a Mediterranean Style. He ran it as a hotel. Six years later he spent $3000,000 to build a 7 story addition. This made the building the tallest structure in Fort Myers. It featured a roof top garden and a restaurant.

Currently, the building operates as a renal apartment business.

Franklin Arms Building

Franklin Arms Building

Franklin Arms Building

This is located at 2132–2138 First Street, Fort Myers. It opened in 1927 as a five and dime store. It was built by Lucius Currian Cutright, Frank C. Alderman, and John Decin. Construction costs were $136,000.

Uptown Theater

     Recently, the Chicago Planning Commission Approved a 75 million project to rennovate the Uptown Theater.  Final approval is needed by the City Council before the project can start.

     Jam Productions and Farpoint Development plan to restore the Uptown Theater as a 4,831 movie movie and concert venue at 4816 N. Broadway.

     The joint venture will buy a 31,000 square foot parking lot near the theater at 1130 West Lawrence Avenue for one dollar from the city of Chicago.  

    Several sources of funding have been obtained including $13 million in TIF funding.

     The theater building has been closed since 1981.

Congress Theater

Congress Theater

Congress Theater

     Posted 12/22/2018

     Recently, the Chicago Planning Commission approved a 69 million dollar proposed renovation of the Congress Theater building.  The only step needed in the process is Chicago City Council approval.  Tentative start date will be in 2019.  

     Developer Michael Moyer is slated to receive 9.65 million dollars in TIF funds.

     The proposal included the following:  creation of 14 apartments and a 50 room in the theater building; construction of a 7 story building in a nearby parking lot.  This building will have  retail space and 72 residences.  Moyer plans to resume concerts in the 4,900 seats theater.