John Nolen, who planned the city of Venice 100 years ago, was honored by the unveiling of a statue depicting him sitting on a bench by Centennial Park, looking at the plan.
A number of his relatives, including great-grandchildren, were present.
Nolen, who died exactly 89 years earlier, would have been shocked that he’s still remembered, said Bruce Stephenson, author of “John Nolen, Landscape Architect and City Planner.” Busy with commissions to design Florida cities in the 1920s, Nolen saw his business “crater” during the Great Depression, he said…