The Alzada Company has announced plans to produce a documentary chronicling the history of Downtown Fort Myers and one of its founding families, the Vivas.
The timing of the announcement on February 21 coincides with Fort Myers Founders Day, established in 2016 by the Florida House of Representatives to honor the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Fort Myers’ first settler, Manuel Gonzalez, and his extended family, which included newlyweds Joseph and Anna Vivas.
The site of Alzada’s next development, The Irving Downtown, is located on the northeast corner of Lee and Bay Streets, a piece of land that was part of the original tract settled by Joseph and Anna Vivas in 1866, where they built their home and had nine children. There was always a Vivas – usually several – living on the property for almost 100 years, until the home was sold in the early 1960s and demolished soon after.
“As a developer and a passionate advocate for historical preservation, the legacy of this land is very important to me and my team, and we take our responsibility seriously,” said Alzada President Rebekah Barney. “Creating a documentary about this land and the people who lived here is just one of the ways we can honor the legacy of the Vivas family as well as historic Downtown Fort Myers.”
Learn more about The Alzada Company at AlzadaCo.com.
