Everglades City
by Patty Huff
The Everglades Society for Historic Preservation is happy to announce that bids have gone out to invited general contractors from both the east and west coast of Florida. On July 31 there was a pre-bid site visit to the Bank Building where the interested contractors and their subcontractors were able to take a tour of the building. Aleli de la Vega as the Senior Project Manager with REG Architects gave a presentation to the general contractors, and ESHP Board Member Elaine Middelstaedt and I were available to answer questions about the history and what original sections of the building we plan to save and reuse in the rehabilitation.
First and foremost, we will definitely preserve the original Dade County Heart Pine flooring throughout the downstairs and upstairs. In order to repair the foundation, the wood on the first floor will be removed, sanded, stored, and returned to its original location. The beadboard that surrounds sections of the first floor will also be removed, repaired, and returned. The original Cannonball safe now located at the entrance will be repaired, as well as the door on the vault. The vault will become the ”Bob Flick Theater” in honor of the owner who donated the building to our historic society. He requested that we make the “Wind Across the Everglades” movie available for everyone to view (Bob was an extra in the 1958 classic movie starring Burl Ives, Christopher Plummer, Peter Falk, and Gypsy Rose Lee among others). Also, Patty Bowen has graciously donated the beautiful chandelier that hangs above the staircase.
REG has completed all of the construction documents and provided ESHP with a copy. Anyone interested in viewing this set of drawings, they are available in the Everglades Area Visitor Center, which ESHP operates, located at 201 Broadway Ave W in Everglades City.
Follow the transformation at ESHP.org
