Mike,
Welcome to E-C!
If you don't have automatic temperature controls, that part of the upper center console display will (probably) be blank. There are two different modules that control the blower motor, the A/C, and the various motorized vents. The manual module is called the HVAC-EMTC. The automatic module is called the HVAC-DATC, and it receives control inputs from the the Front Control Interface Module, then feeds display information into the Front Display Interface module to control the display. The wiring diagrams for the two modules show different harnesses and connectors inside the instrument panel, and converting one to the other would likely cost nearly $1,000 or more in parts, especially for the extra modules and sensors.
As far as the visors go, none of the Escape models are wired with an always-hot connection to or near the visors. The hot connection that
is there is part of the Battery Saver circuit, which will cut off power if the ignition is off and something is drawing from it for more than ten minutes. This will be fine for visor illumination only, but not for Homelink (see below). The wiring diagrams aren't clear about whether or not you will have connectors installed if the visors do not already have lamps (since they always vary by model and equipment levels), but if the connectors
are there, each one will have two wires (one BLACK ground wire and one YELLOW with GREEN STRIPE wire for +12V Battery Saver). The connectors are located at the base of each visor's mounting point, and they should have power.
If you buy a HomeLink visor, you'll need a continuous +12V supply. On the main driver-door connector (C314, see below), there's a GREEN with RED STRIPE wire at pin 31. It's a continuous +12V, from a 7.5A fuse at F12 in the fuse panel. This is the circuit for the exterior power mirrors. If you remove the driver-side kick panel, you should be able to see the harness leading to the door connector. Make sure it's the same wire that runs to pin 31 on the door connector, then tap into it and run it up the A-pillar next to the standard harness already there, and you'll have power for a HomeLink visor.