This business was located at the corner of First Street and Broadway.

In the 1900’s, W.P. Franklin was a traveling hardware salesman in Florida. In 1904, he visited Fort Myers. He returned in 1913 and took over a hardware store at First and Hendry. It was called Franklin Hardware Company.

In 1937, he built a new store at Broadway and First Street. The building has an unique art deco style. There was Carrera Glass on the front facade. This was a hardware store until the 1960’s.

After the store closed, it was taken over by the Saint Vincent DePaul Thrift Store.

Currently, this now is an elegant two story shopping emporium. It features a mix of jewelry, fashion, art work, finishing accessories, and beauty gifts.

This building is located at 1528–1542 Broadway

Patio De Leon

James Hendry was responsible for construction of the building at 2229 Main Street, Fort Myers. He maintained a general store here beginning in 1911.

Beginning in 1927, the Lee County Bank and Trust occupied this building. They made modifications including stuccuoing over the outside walls and adding a pair of Doric Columns at the corner entrance. This gave the building a Neoclassical look.

The bank failed during the Depression. It was reorganized as the Lee County Bank. It remained in business until 1965.

The building is now used by Main Street Antiques and Collectibles.

     This building is located at the northwest corner of First Street and Jackson Street.  Harvie Heitman bankrolled by Ambrose McGregor built Lee County’s first brick building at this site.  It opened as Fort Myers first grocery store in 1898.  It was owned by both Harvie Heitman and Gilmer Heitman.

     Over the years this building has many tenants and alterations.  Its current appearance is similar to its 1920’s appearance.  It has a Mediterranean Revival style.

  

   This house is located at 2572 East First Street, Fort Myers.  It was built in 1921 for Franklin Alderman, Sr., a Fort Myers banker. The architect was Addison Mizner.  The style was Spanish Colonial Revival/ Mediterranean Revival Style.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

     The house was used as a commerce building for 30-50 years.  Some of these used included Royal Palm Antiques, Cypress Club and the National Headquarters of Healthcare Television Network.

     The current owner is Doreen Lehner.  She purchased the property in 2017 from Jaxi Builders .   Selling price was $620,000. Ms. Lehner has spent $20o,000 renovating the house.

     She rents 2 rooms and a cottage for Airbnb.

     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.