Boomtime icons; Three Mediterranean Revival homes on Venice Avenue are monuments to the 1920s real estate boom; one of them is now for sale.(SUNDAY REAL ESTATE)

Byline: DOROTHY STOCKBRIDGE-PRATT dorothy.pratt@heraldtribune.com

VENICE -- Imposing Mediterranean Revival Homes were beginning to line West Venice Avenue in 1926 when the Florida land boom ended.

The three homes that were completed stood alone for years, until better times returned to Venice after World War II.

All three carried out the Mediterranean theme the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers favored as it developed a town complete with three hotels, downtown buildings, nice smaller homes in Venezia Park and more modest homes closer to downtown.

"The area was designated for large homes of richness and beauty" said Dorothy Korwek, director of historical resources for the City of Venice. "When the boom ended, I suspect the homes were vacant for a long time."

News clippings mention that union leaders stayed in the homes during visits to Venice, and that the home …