Unfortunate history: What's behind teardown of what had been one city's tallest structure?

I'm pretty sure I'm the reason the vintage Fort Myers Country Club reconfigured its fifth hole fairway farther from Tamiami Trail on its 107-year-old course frequented by the likes of winter residents Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

In my youth, too many of my golf balls boinked Ford's creations, converting free-flowing but crowded Cleveland Avenue into a pinball machine, bouncing off windshields, bumpers and brake lights. Bing. Bing-bing. Bing.

It was always a relief for me ― and probably motorists, too ― to finally move onto the 400 yards of the sixth along milder Halgrim Avenue where ant hills were in the most peril except for the sharpest of short slices potentially staggering an unassuming senior at the abutting Bonair Towers.

Now, a few duffers have found you don't have to chase as far after that errant shot, finding it wedged against a fence in front of Bonair and then looking up and seeing the suddenly gated off and uninhabited fortress. That must be the point where you inquiring minds asked, "What happened to this place?"

Here's what to know on that, my fellow curious hackers, and other questions by readers.

What are the Bonair Towers adjacent to the Fort Myers Country Club?

The 11-story Fort Myers Housing Authority edifice at 1915 Halgrim served as the tallest structure in the city when it debuted in 1965. And the 100 units were only for white people for a long time.

The authority had argued that plans had been set on Oct. 10, 1962 prior to President John F. Kennedy's Nov. 20, 1962 order banning segregation in public housing. Eventually, the folks in charge were largely replaced and policies changed after award-winning News-Press investigations and coverage uncovered all sorts of discriminatory practices and inappropriate use of federal money.

What is happening at the towers? Where did the residents go?

"We are redeveloping Bonair Towers," Authority Executive Director Marcia Davis told In the Know. "We have concluded relocation of residents a while ago. We relocated residents to our other properties and other private apartments in Fort Myers."

Is there a decision whether to work with the bones there, or tear down?

"Tear down," Davis said. "Based on the financing requirements, the preservation costs were exceeding new construction costs."

What is planned, and has a budget been set for Bonair Towers project?

"We are planning now for 128 units and no more than four stories," Davis said. "We are still working out the site plan, and more to come in the next few months."

In the Know public records research of city records found the renovation costs of the original building were hovering around the $17 million mark.

How much did it cost to originally build the Bonair Towers?

At a cost of $1.1 million, its pilings had a total combined length of nearly three miles. That's about equal to lining them up from the country club along McGregor Boulevard all the way to downtown's old art deco Edison Theater, where you'd catch a flick after grabbing a cherry coke at Washburn's Pharmacy and a slice of fruit basket cake at Mason's Bakery or a banana split at McCrory's.

When will work begin on the Fort Myers Bonair Towers construction?

The authority anticipates starting redevelopment by the end of the year or early 2025, Davis said.

Big Gulp: A fountain full of 7-Eleven questions keep pouring in

Having grown up in Southwest Florida, many of us have a special spot for 7-Elevens that at times served as the lonely nearby outpost for goods.

You'd stumble across a quarter, and then hurriedly get on your purple banana-seated bicycle, anticipating how much candy and bubble gum you'd get for that 25 cents from what was often the nearest retailer. That 7-Eleven.

And the nostalgia, plus convenience, might explain why so many questions pour in about when your "Oh, thank heaven" community merchant might open in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which tore so many locations to shreds in 2022.

A reader who goes by Andy B. was the most recent last week asking us about his store, which we're still waiting for an update on from reps, who did provide the latest on other locales.

"Since there was a little market inside, and next gas station is not near anywhere, that is a very important shop to this neighborhood," he said. "Thanks for bringing the news to the people in Southwest Florida."

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What are two of the most recent 7-Elevens to open in SW Florida?

Here's the latest list 7-Eleven's communications provided In the Know last week, and note this is the official debut day because there have been early soft openings, allowing for training and working out the kinks.

Both Sanibel's 1521 Periwinkle Way and Englewood's 1680 S. McCall Road are already up and going, having recently unlocked their doors and leading to jubilation.

"Oh, thank heavens," said Lee County resident Liz Abbott, who has Sanibel roots and found the venue taking customers prior to the announced launch. "525 days after Hurricane Ian, it finally opens."

What's the latest on Fort Myers Beach's 7-Elevens?

Fort Myers Beach addresses have the next two, one of which we first told you about earlier in the year:

• Friday, April 12: 7-Eleven, 17451 San Carlos Blvd.

• Friday, April 26: 7-Eleven, 7120 Estero Blvd.

The latter means gasoline service for an area that has been lacking since the horrific storm. Plus, we told you last month about the planned 7-Eleven redo at 1301 Estero, almost across the street from the recuperating Lani Kai that the Town Council approved, complete with a mural. Construction would begin later this year, with the debut by fall 2025.

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Realtor Kristen Conti put it this way last week about the revivals occurring all over Southwest Florida.

"Every time a business destroyed by Hurricane Ian comes back to life, my heart heals a bit more. So many wonderful businesses never made it back. Rejoice when one does," said Conti, who also was among real estate agents featured in a Thursday Wall Street Journal piece about the worst code violations they have encountered in a listing. (Her example was a bank-owned foreclosure property with a 3,000-square-foot illegal marijuana grow house that featured a pool, a fireplace and irrigation lines coming out of the walls.)

There's a lot of comebacks happening, but we'll do our best to keep tracking them.

Based at the Naples Daily News, Columnist Phil Fernandez (pfernandez@gannett.com) grew up in Southwest Florida and has led Pulitzer Prize-winning efforts. He writes In the Know, one of USA TODAY Network's most read local news columns in the state. Support democracy. Subscribe to a newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Former tallest Fort Myers building tumbling down. What's replacing it?