$7 Million Restoration Begins: Historic Bank Turned Visitor Center in Everglades City

The Everglades Society for Historic Preservation has begun restoration on the old Bank of Everglades building in Everglades City.
The $7 million restoration will turn the building into the new Everglades Area Visitor Center.
The society is still seeking $4 million in funding to complete the project.

Restoration of the Bank of Everglades Building in Everglades City has begun, four years after it was donated to the Everglades Society for Historic Preservation.

The society held a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 21 to celebrate the start of the $7 million restoration.

When finished, the building will be the new home of the Everglades Area Visitor Center. About 2 million people a year visit 1.5-million-acre Everglades National Park and nearby Big Cypress National Preserve, which encompasses 729,000 acres.

"It's a long time coming. Great things are happing in this beautiful City of Everglades," said Jesse Wilson, pastor at Chokoloskee Family Church.

The historic society hasn't raised all the money it needs to complete the restoration, said President Patty Huff, who is looking for the last $4 million. Huff is hoping the Florida State Legislature will come through. Donations from the public also are welcome, she said.

Everglades Bank was established in 1923, the same year Collier County was established, and the same year Everglades City was named the first county seat by the Florida Legislature as promised to county namesake Barron Gift Collier, who built Tamiami Trail to connect the Everglades with Dade County and owned more than a million acres in the Sunshine State. When the county seat was moved to Naples in 1962, Everglades Bank also moved – but to Immokalee.

Among those who helped kick off the restoration project was Collier's grandson, Barry Collier – Barron Gift Collier III. Collier said he thought his grandfather would be impressed at the effort to save history.

Other speakers included Sabrina Diaz, deputy superintendent Everglades and Dry Tortugas national parks; Collier County Commissioner Rick LoCastro; representatives of U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and U.S. Senator Rick Scott; Everglades City Mayor Howie Grimm; REG Architects Senior Project Manager Aleli de la Vega; and Classic Carpentry's master carpenter John Brechel.

Also among the guests was Huff's husband, Steve, who she calls her "brick."

Steve Huff, brought Patty to Everglades City 40 years ago, "on our second date." She said she hadn't imagined she would end up loving the city so much and living there.

"He is my brick. He is my motor. He is everything to me. I thank him every day," Huff said.