key Projects

McCollum Hall Project Description 

This restoration project of McCollum Hall, which is a historic building with musical heritage deeply tied to the famed Chitlin’ Circuit of the 1930s and 50s. Since its purchase in 2008, the CRA has engaged community groups to help clean debris from the structure, stabilized the back wall and replaced the roof. In 2018 the developers McCollum Redevelopment Associates, LLC/ REVA Development Corporations where selected to complete the final rehab of McCollum. In 2020, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Certificate of Review process and application was approved. Later that year, permits were approved with construction beginning in May 2021. Once opened, McCollum Hall will feature the Oak & Ivy Design concept, which will celebrate the hall's historic Art Deco style in its renaissance as an artisanal food hall, a multi-use event space, and a micro-arts and images gallery in a newly constructed annex building. Completion of the project is expected in February 2022.

McCollum Hall Project Timeline & Events

• 2012 Stabilized back wall and replaced the roof.
• 2016 Awarded $500,000 State of Florida Grant to help further  progress with exterior restoration.
• 2019 The developer closed financing for the final phase of redevelopment.
• 2020 The developer successfully completed Historic Preservation Committee (HPC) Certificate of Review process and their application was approved in first part of 2020. On June 24, architectural plans were approved. Food hall concept, "Oak & Ivy" introduced, and building permit process commenced.  
• 2020 On December 28, construction drawings submitted to the Fort Myers Building Department were approved for permits.
• 2020/2021 Mural finalists for Art Stumble back wall project were selected in September. Mural painting began in January 2021 with a completion date of March 2021. Depending on any limitations imposed by coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the CRA, along with various community partners and the developers, plan for Art Stumble event McCollum Hall in 2021.
• 2021 An executed General Contractor (GC) agreement was secured. Several qualified local Lee County General Contractor Bids were solicited before choosing McCollum Hall's GC.
• 2021 In May, construction begins.
• 2022 Anticipated project completion.

St. Peter Claver Place Apartments

Phase I of St. Peter Claver Place Apartments to be developed by National Development of America and the Diocese of Venice was approved for a $4 million CRA tax increment rebate in September 2019. The 214-unit affordable-housing apartment complex will be built in two phases, with Phase I consisting of 136 two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments in two- and three-story buildings, along with a community building. Known as St. Peter Claver Place, it will be built at 3681 Michigan Avenue. The Diocese of Venice currently owns the 17.44-acre site. In December 2019, a grant application was sent to Florida Housing; the developer will learn the status of the application within 30 days. In January 2020, the development agreement with the CRA was signed. Phase 1 was originally planned to for 120 units, which was expanded to 136 units in August 2020. At that time, the CRA tax increment rebate was also increased to $4.5 million. In February 2021, the project received board approval from the Florida Housing board for funding. Completion of Phase I is planned for December 2022, and completion of Phase II is planned for May 2024.

St. Peter Claver Place Apartments
Project Timeline & Events

• 2019 Approved for a $4 million CRA tax increment rebate in September.
• 2019 Developer sent grant application to Florida Housing in December.
• 2020 Signed Development Agreement with Fort Myers CRA in January for the two-phase project.
• 2020 Phase I expanded to 136 units, CRA tax increment rebate increased to $4.5 million in August.
• 2021 Florida Housing board funding approval received in February.
• 2022 Phase I completion planned for December.
• 2024 Phase II completion planned for May.

Seaboard Waterside Apartments

Seaboard Waterside Apartments, a two-building, six-story, 420-rental apartment complex to be built at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Seaboard Street, was approved for a total CRA tax increment rebate of $11.48 million in July 2019. The project will be built in two phases. The development will have an attractive parking garage built in the center of the development between the two buildings. It will be the first project of its kind in the MLK redevelopment area. The Seaboard Apartments Phase I will receive a $7.145 million rebate of the taxes generated by the project in yearly installments until the total amount is reached, or until 2044 when the redevelopment area sunsets. Phase II will receive a $4.335 million rebate of the taxes generated by the project in yearly installments until the total amount is reached, or until 2044 as well. In January 2020, the development agreement with the CRA was signed. In June 2020, the Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) was granted. Phase I of the $82 million project is projected to open in 2022 - 2023.

Seaboard Waterside Apartments Project Timeline & Events

• 2019 Approved for a $11.48 million CRA tax increment rebate in July.
• 2020 Signed Development Agreement with Fort Myers CRA in January. 
• 2020 Environmental Resource Permit granted in June.
• 2021 Phase I construction planned to begin late in the year.
• 2022 - 2023 Phase I completion planned 12 - 18 months following construction commencement.
• 2028 Phase II completion planned for January.

Towles Garden

Towles Garden is an affordable and attainable townhome project to be built on a 7.5-acre lot at the corner of Edison Avenue and Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard. Developer Towles Garden LLC proposed a $28.7 million investment of 67 affordable and 73 attainable townhomes, to be priced at $200,005 and $210, 123 respectively, with units ranging in size from 900 to 1,250 sq. ft. The development design is in groupings of 4-plex and 6-plex buildings. It is estimated that when sold, these units will add $18.5 million (adjusting for $3.5 million in homestead exemptions) to the Fort Myers’ tax base. The developers was approved for a $4.9 million dollar CRA increment revenue incentive of the estimated $7.6 million that will be generated by the project. In March 2021, the developer opened an office for the project on First Street. Construction is expected to begin in 2021, with completion in August 2022. 

Towles Garden Project Timeline & Events

• 2020 Approved for a $4.9 million CRA tax increment rebate in December.
• 2021 Project office opened on First Street in March.
• 2021 Construction begins.
• 2022 Completion set for August.