Manhattan Tower in Fort Lauderdale - a nod and goodbye

Manhattan Tower
701 Bayshore Dr. 2026 - Closed

By Jane Feehan

Manhattan Tower in Fort Lauderdale captured the attention of tourists and residents since its construction in 1952. Its 50-foot iron tower, a “crown” that served as a nod to General Motors’ Frigidaire division, still draws a second glance. But not for much longer. Manhattan Tower will be torn down to make way for another Intracoastal waterfront condo project.

Over 70 years ago, developer (also termed “financier” at the time), Chester J. Maxson, a native New Yorker who owned a car dealership, filed for doing business as Manhattan Tower on Bayshore Drive in the Birch Estates area. The building, designed by noted Fort Lauderdale architect Charles McKirahan, first served as a haven for General Motors executives when it opened in 1953.

Manhattan Tower, “completely air-conditioned and heated” held three two-bedroom apartments, seven one-bedrooms, two efficiencies, two hotel rooms, and one three-bedroom three-bath penthouse. A lounge or game room with a TV completed plans. The retreat evolved into a boutique hotel for tourists with seasonal furnished apartments and low summer rates.

The building’s crown served as reminder that the little hotel represented Miami-Modern (mid-century architecture) with decorative railings and a floating staircase. Charles McKirahan also designed the Coral Ridge Yacht Club, Birch Tower, the Castro Furniture building, Mai-Kai, the Castaways renovation and a lengthy list of other projects. He died in 1964 at age 45 in a car accident.

Chester J. Maxon distinguished himself in Fort Lauderdale. He served as a commissioner with the North Broward Hospital District and as commissioner on the board at Holy Cross Hospital. An avid angler, he was world record holder in 1952 of a blue marlin catch in Andros Island. He died in 1978.

Records indicate several sales transactions of Manhattan Tower in past years. One record reveals the building was purchased in 2021 and sold to current developers in 2025. Opus 701, designed by Adache Group Architects, will rise 13 stories at 701 Bayshore Drive and at an adjacent lot. Principals indicate an area in the building will display homage to Manhattan Tower history. (Was this an incentive to approve the new condo project?)

News accounts state the old building will be demolished in 2027. A banner currently indicates a café may operate (temporarily?) there. I have no information about that. 

Manhattan Tower 2026 - closed

Another historic building falls into the treasure trove of Fort Lauderdale memories.

Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan

Sources

Fort Lauderdale News, Oct. 15, 1952

Fort Lauderdale News, Nov. 17, 1952

Fort Lauderdale News, July 11, 1957

Fort Lauderdale News, April 23, 1977

Fort Lauderdale News, Dec. 4, 1978

South Florida Sun Sentinel, Oct. 29, 2004

South Florida Sun Sentinel, June 3,2007

South Florida Sun Sentinel, Dec. 9, 2021

South Florida Sun Sentinel, May 18, 2026

Broward County

 

Tags: Architects, Manhattan Tower, Fort Lauderdale in the 1950s, Fort Lauderdale hotel history,

Pompano Beach Fishing Pier, yesterday and today

 

By Jane Feehan 

With South Florida’s population growth in the 1950s and 60s came legions of fishing fans. Fishing piers went up or were renovated in coastal towns to accommodate them. One of those piers, located in Pompano Beach, met the hopes, if not always the catch, of local anglers.

Architect Paul R. John visited Naples, Florida to get an idea about pier amenities, which included restrooms, and a concession store in a footprint that with a T-shaped end. John claimed, however, that anglers fished along the entire span of the pier. 

John’s plans, submitted in late 1962 featured an 877-foot concrete pier with timber decking, rentable lockers, cutting tables for cleaning fish, a hexagon end and snack bar (later taken off the plan to cut costs). The price tag for the Pompano pier, estimated at $232,000 but proposed parking for 100 cars was up to the city at additional cost. The city later paid $315,000 for the lot property and an additional $100,000 for pavement and meters.

Pompano Beach commissioners gave it a green light but briefly dallied over its name. One commissioner suggested the “Pompano Beach Fishing Pier and Recreational Outlet.” Mayor Walter Rossiter nixed that idea and settled on the Pompano Beach Fishing Pier.

Powell Brothers Construction Company of Fort Lauderdale began the pier project in March 1963 with ocean dynamiting to clear the way for pilings. They completed the Pompano Beach Fishing Pier in December 1963 for $240,000 (later reported for $264,000); it officially opened February 22, 1964.

Pompano Beach
Fishing Pier
 1989, Florida State Archives

That day, Mayor Rossiter dedicated the pier with a ribbon cutting. Light rain led to cancelling a fashion show, which was to include a visit by Miss Belk Lindsey of 1964 (whatever happened to her?). But the show went on with music provided by Pompano Beach High School, and a “Hootenanny” song fest. 

Free fishing for dedication day drew a few anglers but not many fish. Fees were set for 75 cents for adult fishermen and 50 cents for children. “Window shoppers” or visitors to be charged a quarter.

Popular the pier was but it had its problems. At times there were no fish— there or at the Deerfield pier— thanks to Intracoastal dredging and beach improvements, but the dearth of fish proved temporary then or intermittent since then.

Since 2020 the Pompano Beach Fishing Pier is known as the Fisher Family Pier. The pioneer family includes former Mayor Lamar Fisher (2007-2018) and current Broward County Commissioner, The reconstructed pier, with a collection of popular restaurants, serves as the centerpiece of Pompano Beach visitor activity. Anglers enjoy casting a pole for $7 for the day; walk-ons can visit for free. See https://parks.pompanobeachfl.gov/fisher-family-pier/pier-information

Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan

Sources:

City of Pompano Beach

Fort Lauderdale News, Jan. 2, 1962

Fort Lauderdale News, March 17, 1962

Fort Lauderdale News, March 29, 1963

Fort Lauderdale News, Sept. 11, 1963

The Miami Herald, Oct. 10, 1963

Fort Lauderdale News, Dec. 23, 1963

Fort Lauderdale News, Feb. 23, 1963

Fort Lauderdale News, June 28, 1964

Fort Lauderdale News, Aug. 7, 1964

 

 

Tags Pompano Beach Fishing Pier, Pompano Beach history, South Florida Fishing, Lamar Fisher, Fisher Family Pier

 

 

Seminoles respond to Dania school bells in 1927

 

Seminole lands include areas of cypress
Photo, 1958, Florida State Archives

A story in the Miami News (Jan. 25, 1927) opens a window to Seminole (and Broward County) history while revealing attitudes of the time. 

News accounts that year revealed changing opinions held by Seminoles and the local white residents about education for the tribe. Seminoles were beginning to look at the benefits of schooling more favorably. 

The first school for them opened in 1927.  Soon after,  a growing number of young Seminoles were seen walking to school in response to a bell rung by teacher Lena King, a Creek Indian (a tribe related to the Seminoles) from Oklahoma. It was "a scene never before witnessed" in this area. 

Behind that scene was a Fort Myers resident, Lucien A. Spencer.

Spencer, an agent for Indian Affairs in Florida from 1913-1928, had long advocated for education for the Seminoles. During his years with the state, he collected records and documents in an effort to detail the culture of the these Indians. It helped establish a bridge of understanding between the state and the Seminoles.

Seminoles had not been happy about education sponsored by whites. It was reported they said they had been "antagonized" by a missionary years before. 

But Spencer seems to have gained their respect and confidence. He camped out with Seminoles at the new Dania school site for two weeks and was on hand to arrange its opening. The school taught English and a few "rudimentary" subjects. Few spoke English. 

The school opened and closed near Dania before the U.S. government officially set aside 80,000 acres for the Seminoles in 1938. Acreage was divided among three sites: Big Cypress, Brighton and Hollywood reservations.

Today, the Seminole Tribe spends over $1 million on education.

For more on the early school see:

https://janeshistorynook.blogspot.com/2021/07/seminoles-attend-their-first-school-in.html

Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan

______

Sources:

Miami News, Jan. 25, 1927

Seminole Tribe of Florida

https://www.semtribe.com/

  

Tags: Florida history, Seminole history, Broward County history, Lucien A Spencer

Fort Lauderdale area clubs and bars of the 1980s

 

By Jane Feehan

Clubs, bars and other nightlife venues went up all over Fort Lauderdale and Broward County in the 1980s.  A few places straddled several decades; nightlife expanded exponentially in the 80s with its growing population and elevated interest in South Florida tourism and other business.

Below sits a long, but not inclusive list, of clubs and bars in Fort Lauderdale and  surrounds of the 1980s.

Candy Store, A1A Fort Lauderdale

Club Atlantic at the Ocean Manor on Galt Ocean Drive in Fort Lauderdale (it’s been so many places)

City Limits, South Miami Road, Fort Lauderdale

Coconuts, Seabreeze (still there and good)

Confetti, E. Commercial, Fort Lauderdale

Crockett’s, N. Federal, Pompano

Durty Harry’s, North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale

Durty Nelly’s, NE 32^nd Avenue on the Intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale

Frankie and Johnny on SE 17^th Street, Fort Lauderdale

Flanigan’s Excalibur, East Atlantic

Boulevard, Pompano

Frankie’s on the Intracoastal near the Oakland Park Bridge, Fort Lauderdale

Hemingway’s, Dixie Highway, Hollywood

Houlihan’s Old Place, W. Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale

House of Rock, N. Federal Lighthouse Point

Ireland’s Edgewater Lounge on N. Atlantic Avenue

Mai Kai, N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale (still operating, new owners)

Mirage at the Holiday Inn on University in Plantation

Mr. Laff’s, N. Federal Highway in, Fort Lauderdale

One Up Lounge at Yesterday’s, Fort Lauderdale

Park Avenue East, N. Federal Highway, Pompano

Penrod’s Sheraton Yankee Trader Fort Lauderdale

Pickle’s Pub, N.  Federal Highway, Pompano

Pier Sixty-Six, Pier Top Lounge, Fort Lauderdale

Pierce Street Annex, N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale

Play Pen, N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale

Poet’s, Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale

Port Bar, Sheraton Yankee Clipper, Fort Lauderdale

Rathskeller, Best Western Inn, North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale

Riverwatch Lounge, Marriott on 17^th Street

Rosebud’s, East Oakland Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale

Sausalito Restaurant, Federal Highway, Pompano

Sea Garden Beach and Tennis Resort on A1A, Pompano

September on Federal near Oakland Park Boulevard, Pompano

Shaker’s, N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale

Shirttail Charlie’s, SW 3^rd Ave, Fort Lauderdale

Shooter’s, 32^nd Avenue on the Intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale

Siron’s II, West Sample Road, Pompano

Stained Glass Pub, N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale

Stan’s Lounge, off Commercial at the Intracoastal Fort Lauderdale

Sonny’s Stardust Lounge and Restaurant, Powerline Road, Fort Lauderdale

Studebaker’s, W. Oakland Park Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale

Summers, So. Atlantic, Pompano

Tack Room, Diplomat East in Hollywood

The Button, A1A near Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale

The Best Seller, N. Federal Highway in Lighthouse Point

The Ramada Pastel’s Lounge, State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale

Tags:

 Fort Lauderdale nightspots, Fort Lauderdale in the 1980s, Fort Lauderdale clubs in the 1980s

Chalet Suzanne of Lake Wales, legacy of world fame and excellence

 

Chalet Suzanne 2009,
Florida State Archives

By Jane Feehan

I usually focus on stories about South Florida, but take an occasional foray into other counties when a topic or place claimed state-wide notice.

Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales earned world-wide attention. A small inn with a gem of a restaurant, it was described in many ways since opening in 1931: as a “doll’s village;” a “Scandinavian fairy tale; a “rambling Swiss colony; a place with an old Florida look; a “rambling rose-colored inn.” It was all that and more.

Lafayette, Indiana residents Bertha and Carl Hinshaw moved to Lake Wales in 1929 or 1930. According to news accounts, they arrived with plans to convert an estate into a “residential hotel” along with a partner. Carl died of pneumonia at age 47, not long after their move. Bertha had to support their two children, Suzanne and Carl, Jr. 

With a vision but no partner, she proceeded to establish an inn.

That vision was influenced by earlier trips to Europe where Bertha collected items that reflected Old World culture. These “curios,” displayed at the new inn, shaped the inn’s décor and ambiance. 

She readied the small hotel with 30 guest rooms—arrayed in a rambling footprint— and a dining room. Located in the citrus-laden hills of Polk County, her Chalet Suzanne sat at the side of one of many lakes in the area, enhancing its appeal to tourists. But how to get the word out to those tourists?

Bertha had a knack for marketing. In an interview she described the signs she had placed on highways advertising her new business. Chalet Suzanne welcomed its first customer a week after the first sign went up on a Florida highway. Later, signs were installed north along the U.S. East coast to within 200 miles of New York. That was before crowds took to the skies to visit Florida; road signs proved to be the right marketing tool for the time.

1931 Chalet Suzanne postcard
Florida State Archives

Within a very few years, Chalet Suzanne was known as a venue for weddings, civic club luncheons and pleasant amenities, including morning delivery of coffee and orange juice to each guest room. Newspapers published the inn’s recipes for orange bread and other orange-based delectables.

Daughter Suzanne married there in 1940 and moved to New York. Son Carl, Jr. signed up with and flew for the U.S. Air Force during World War II. He married his high school sweetheart, Vita, and returned to help run Chalet Suzanne.

By 1941 Orlando’s Sunday Sentinel Star wrote that Chalet Suzanne was “one of the South’s unique and outstanding inns and eating places.” It was also noted for having one of the largest collections in the U.S. of old, in perfect condition, horse-driven carriages (about 12 at the time). Horses were available on the 100-acre Chalet Suzanne property to pull the carriages. 

The inn burned down partially in 1943 and was rebuilt with materials from old rabbit hutches, chicken coops and wood from the stable. Because of the war, construction materials were scarce; it may explain why guest rooms sit at varying, uneven levels, imposing a rambling or Old World look on the inn.

Carl and Vita (a WAVE, U.S. Naval Reserve), helped run the kitchen when they returned to civilian life. Their hotel assistance included presenting water ski shows on the  lake for inn patrons. Carl skied while Vita drove the boat.

Carl’s love of flying (he was also a test pilot) likely prompted the construction of an air strip on the property. That air strip welcomed celebrities including Johnny Carson, Burt Reynolds, TV host Mike Douglas, Don Johnson, Robert Redford and astronaut Lt. Col. James Irwin who became a family friend.

Chalet Suzanne’s popularity extended into outer space. The family opened a canning factory on its property in1956 after garnering fans for soups such as asparagus potato, seafood Newburg bisque, and their signature Romain in a spinach-mushroom base. When Apollo astronauts complained about flight food, Chalet Suzanne's soups were suggested; they passed NASA muster for dried versions and were sent up with an Apollo and a joint Apollo-Soyuz mission in the 1970s.

In 1970, The New York Times placed Chalet Suzanne on their list of the world’s great restaurants. The inn also repeatedly received Florida Trend magazine’s Golden Spoon Award.

Matriarch Bertha Hinshaw passed away at 90 in 1975. Carl Jr. died at 75 in 1997 and Vita at 89 in 2012. Carl’s son, Eric carried the tradition of excellence forward until 2014, when he decided to close Chalet Suzanne. The accolades kept coming but not  younger customers. Eric was not keen on making changes that would appeal to a younger crowd. Perhaps it was the right time to exit with reputation intact, bright memories firmly established and plenty of stories to pass forward…a legacy of 83 years of excellence.

Chalet Suzanne was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The property, about 130 acres was still held by the Hinshaw family in 2016. It is now the site of a faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for men, Refuge on the Ridge. It was first operated by the Hinshaws, but now by someone else. As of last check, early 2026, the Hinshaws remain owners of the property.

Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan

Sources:

Tampa Daily Times, May 3, 1934

St. Augustine Record Jan. 24, 1937

Orlando Sentinel, Dec. 10, 1937

The Miami News, May 7, 1937

Washington Daily News, April 2, 1938

Sunday Sentinel Star, Feb. 16, 1941

Tampa Tribune, May 7, 1940

Tampa Tribune, March 12, 1950

The Tampa Tribune, Jan. 26, 1969

The Tampa Tribune, May 19, 1969

The Tampa Tribune, Aug. 24, 1970

The Ledger, Sept 30, 1980

Indian River Press Journal, July 22, 1990

The Tampa Tribune Sept. 4, 1997

The Ledger, April 26, 2012

The Ledger, June 20, 2012

The Orlando Sentinel, July 4, 2014

Tags: Chalet Suzanne, Bertha Hinshaw, Lake Wales

Before Wolfie's, popular Al's Sandwich Shop of Miami Beach and his overstuffed creations

 

Sandwich prep (not Al's or
Wolfie's)
Florida State Archives

By Jane Feehan

Wolfie’s Restaurants in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale built their reputation on overstuffed corned beef or pastrami sandwiches and a huge menu of delicious deli fare. Fans returned repeatedly for that great food, which included bowls of coleslaw and pickles and tiny pastries at each table, ready for munching on before ordering.

Overstuffed sandwiches and bowls of deli delights were around before Wilfred “Wolfie” bought Al’s Sandwich Shop around 1940. Some say Al Nemets conceived the big-sandwich and bowls-of-slaw-and-pickles idea.

About Al Nemets

Russian-born Alvin J. Nemets (1907-1989) left his country during the 1917 Revolution. He joined his parents, residents of Philadelphia, in 1921, after traveling in Europe. Nemets worked as a glass cutter with his father for a time but moved to Miami Beach during the early 1930s where some say he learned about the restaurant biz at Bernstein’s.

In 1936 he opened his own place, a deli and restaurant, on Fifth and Washington in Miami Beach. A few years later, newspaper ads indicated the shop’s address was on 23^rd Street. According to Miami Beach historian Seth Bramson, Nemets—and his shop—were well known in the 1930s. (Bramson's book referenced below- it's an excellent source for Miami Beach photos).

His idea of overstuffed sandwiches, those deli bowls and the shop’s popularity appealed to Wolfie Cohen when he purchased the restaurant.

Miami Beach 1937,
Florida State Archives

What Wolfie Cohen did in his early days with Al’s was to advertise when the shop was open (all night at one point), Thanksgiving dinner for $2.95 and more.

 Cohen grew the shop's reputation among visitors and residents and got  coverage by food writers. How about a corned beef cheeseburger for “taste thrills?" wrote foodie Helen Burns of the Miami Daily News (May 6, 1950). It was not long before the reputation for tasty food, not ads, brought customers through the door. Cohen’s sandwiches drew celebrities from across the street at the Roney Plaza Hotel, elevating the restaurant's profile. Wolfie Cohen, who died in 1986, opened Wolfie’s, Pumpernik’s and the Rascal House in his remarkable career.

Nemets’ career was also stellar. After selling his place to Cohen, Nemets joined the U.S. Navy in 1940; he served as warrant officer first class. After the war he remained in the restaurant business. He opened the Rendezvous Restaurant on Miami Beach at Collins and 20^th. He also managed Pumpernik’s Restaurant, Wolfie’s, and the Bonfire. According to his obituary, Nemets opened the Newport and Roney Pub restaurants in the early 1970s and was active there until the early 1980s.

Alvin J. Nemets died in 1989 at 82 years of age. His legacy, which includes those overstuffed sandwiches and deli bowls,is one of many stories of achieving the American Dream with an idea and hard work.

For a postcard of Al’s Sandwich Shop (and other old restaurants), visit: https://wolfsonianfiulibrary.wordpress.com/2024/07/30/menus-memorabilia-for-miami-beach-eateries/

Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan

For more on the Wolfie's story, use search box.

For an excellent collection of Miami Beach photos, see Bramson’s book below.

Bramson, Seth H. Miami Beach. Arcadia Publishing, 2005. Charleston, SC, Chicago, IL, Portsmouth, NH, San Francisco, CA

The Miami News, Nov. 12, 1940

The Miami Herald, Sept. 13, 1946

The Miami Herald, Nov. 30, 1946

The Daily News, Oct. 8, 1986

The Miami Herald, Oct. 24, 1989

Tags: Miami Beach restaurants, Al's Sandwich Shop, Wolfie's, 

Opa-Locka, of planes, trains and minarets

Opa-Locka City Hall circa 1960
Florida State Archives

 

By Jane Feehan

With a stellar career behind him, aviation pioneer Glenn H. Curtiss helped form the Opa-locka Company in 1926. Real estate was his next frontier.

Curtiss (1878 -1930) and company opened an office in downtown Miami off Flagler from which to advertise and sell homes in a new city. Opa-Locka, 12 miles north of downtown, was formally established May 14, 1926. The name is a shortened version of a Seminole phrase meaning “wooded hammock.”

The site was at or near his flying school, Florida Aviation Camp in northern Dade County. The Opa-Locka Company claimed the new development served as a transportation hub.  The Seaboard Airline Railway (later Seaboard Coast Line) established a stop there on a route that traveled north and south.

Curtiss brought a unique thematic concept to Florida real estate development. He was inspired by the collection of Middle East folk tales, One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. The aviator hired New York architect, Bernhardt E. Mueller (1878-1964) to transform his vision into reality. For a photo collection of Opa-Locka’s singular architecture and more on Mueller, see https://www.discoveropalocka.org.

Ads in Miami newspapers described the new city as a planned community with an Arabian theme implemented in public buildings and neighborhood houses. Its administration building, showing off a Moorish Revival theme, featured impressive minarets pointing to the sky. The layout of the new project was designed by New Yorker Clinton McKenzie and included street names such as Ali Baba Avenue, Shahrazad Boulevard and Sultan Avenue. Those names remain.

According to area newspapers, the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 did not affect Opa-Locka as it had other towns of Dade and Broward counties, but it slowed sales. By 1930, Opa-Locka counted 339 residents. In July of that year, Glenn Curtiss died leaving an aviation legacy and a unique city with many elements of its Moorish Revival architecture visible to this day. There’s more, however, that defines Opa-Locka’s history.

The airport in Opa-locka welcomed blimp flights, including the famed Graf Zeppelin in 1933. Miami officials, excited by the prospects of such travel, had set aside hundreds of acres and spent $40,000 for a dirigible docking port at the Opa-Locka Naval Reserve Base, dedicating it Jan. 13, 1930. News accounts claimed it was the only port in the world municipally owned.

Opa-Locka airship news may have attracted aviator Amelia Earhart's attention. She, with navigator Fred Noonan, began the first international leg of their ill-fated round-the-world-trip on June 1, 1937 from Opa-Locka.

Today, Opa-Locka holds a yearly Fantasy event, with participants dressing in Arabian costumes. The city, 4.2 square miles, has three parks, two lakes and a Tri-Rail station. It’s home to more than 16,500 residents (2024).

Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. Jane Feehan

Sources:

Miami News, Jan. 24, 1926

The Miami Herald, Feb. 23, 1926

The Miami Tribune, April 13, 1926

The Miami Herald, Dec. 15, 1926

The Miami Herald, Dec. 19, 1926

Miami News, July 24, 1930

The Miami Herald, July 24, 1930

City of Opa-Locka

https://www.discoveropalocka.org

 

Tags: Miami-Dade cities, Opa-Locka, Amelia Earhart, Glenn H. Curtiss