Ward 1 Community Meeting takes place on May 28

FORT MYERS, FL (May 21, 2019) – Fort Myers City Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown will host a Ward 1 Community Meeting on Tuesday, May 28, at 6:00 p.m. at the IMAG History and Science Center, located at 2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers. All are we...

Solid Waste Memorial Day Holiday Collection Schedule

FORT MYERS, FL (May 16, 2019) – In observance of Memorial Day, there will be no residential or commercial trash or recycling collection on Monday, May 27, 2019. City of Fort Myers solid waste customers will be serviced one day later from Tuesday...

Community to Pay Tribute to America’s Heroes at Centennial Park

FORT MYERS, FL (May 16, 2019) – “A Tribute to America’s Heroes” will be held on Sunday, May 26 at 7:00 p.m. in Centennial Park, located at 2000 West First Street, Fort Myers. Free and open to the public, this ninth annual event honors men and women who ha...

Ward 4 Community Meeting takes place on May 16

FORT MYERS, FL (May 13, 2019) – Fort Myers City Councilman Kevin Anderson will host a Ward 4 Community Meeting on Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. in Fire Station #1, located at 2033 Jackson Street, Fort Myers. All are welcome to attend.

The meeting...

Ward 6 Community Meeting takes place on May 15

FORT MYERS, FL (May 6, 2019) – Fort Myers City Councilwoman Gaile Anthony will host a Ward 6 Community Meeting on Wednesday, May 15 at 4:00 p.m. at the Bridgetown Community Room (Amenity Center 2), located at 11741 Kingsbridge Boulevard...

Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day at Centennial Park

FORT MYERS, FL (May 2, 2019) – On May 11, the City of Fort Myers will celebrate Kids to Parks day by hosting four fun-filled hours of youth events from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Centennial Park, located at 2000 West First Street, Fort Myers....

City seeks public input on design of STARS Complex expansion

FORT MYERS, FL (May 1, 2019) – The City of Fort Myers is hosting two public workshops for the expansion of the Dr. Ann Murphy Knight Success Through Academic and Recreational Support (STARS) Complex. Two workshops will take place on Tuesday, May...

Deion Sanders hosts community forum and Prime Elite Underclassmen football camp

FORT MYERS, FL (May 1, 2019) – Deion Sanders, nationally known sports analyst and retired former professional football and baseball player, is returning to Fort Myers to host two community-focused events. The first, a community forum, takes plac...

Eastwood Golf Course offers two Junior Golf Clinics

FORT MYERS, FL (Apr. 30, 2019) –  Registration is open for both sessions of the city’s five-day junior golf clinic this summer at the Eastwood Golf Course, located at 4600 Bruce Herd Lane, Fort Myers. The first session will be...

Ward 2 Community Meeting on May 2 CANCELED

FORT MYERS, FL (Apr. 25, 2019) – The regularly scheduled Ward 2 community meeting hosted by Councilperson Johnny W. Streets, Jr. on Thursday, May 2 is cancelled in honor of memorial services for Lee County Commissioner Larry Kiker. The next Ward...

Free outdoor movies in Centennial Park announced

FORT MYERS, FL (April 9, 2019) – The City of Fort Myers Parks and Recreation Division is presenting two free movie nights in Centennial Park, located at 2000 West First Street, Fort Myers. The first screening on Friday, April 12 is “Ho...

Ward 6 Community Meeting takes place on May 15

FORT MYERS, FL (May 6, 2019) – Fort Myers City Councilwoman Gaile Anthony will host a Ward 6 Community Meeting on Wednesday, May 15 at 4:00 p.m. at the Bridgetown Community Room (Amenity Center 2), located at 11741 Kingsbridge Boulevard...

Holiday Inn Hotel/HIDEV Group LLC Approved for CRA Rebate

Holiday Inn, a 6-story, 135-room full-service hotel to be built in the Downtown redevelopment area, was approved for a tax increment rebate up to $3,300,000, at the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Board of Commissioners meeting on May 22.

Holiday Inn will be built on the three original city land parcels at 1651 Royal Palm Avenue, 2465 Second Street, and 2466 First Street, located on the northeast corner of Royal Palm Avenue and Second Street. The hotel will offer a restaurant/bar, meeting ...

EFM Spotlight: Alma's Fashion Boutique, Inc.

This month's East Fort Myers redevelopment area spotlight is Alma's Fashion Boutique, Inc., dress and gown shop, located at 3623 Palm Beach Boulevard. View their video for more details!

The monthly East Fort Myers Spotlight feature was developed to support the business community in the East Fort Myers redevelopment area, through using social media and website promotion to focus on various small businesses that may not otherwise have an o...

Frank Amati Joins Fort Myers CRA

The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is proud to announce that Frank Amati has joined the CRA as Community Redevelopment Manager.

As Community Redevelopment Manager, Mr. Amati will prepare, plan, develop reports, complete projects and programs related to Fort Myers’ redevelopment areas.

Mr. Amati had been employed by the City of Fort Myers Community Development Department (CDD) as a ...

Grand Central Apartments Construction In Progress

Exciting work continues along Cleveland Avenue! Here's an aerial view of the Grand Central Apartments project in progress (lower image) - and what the area looked like a year and a half ago (upper image).

The Grand Central apartments are under construction and appear to be on pace for completion by March 2020. All Retail is completed and open for business.

The Grand Central Luxury Apartments project, a 282-unit market rate apartment complex with an estimate...

FieldEdge Approved to Participate in CRA Job Program

FieldEdge, formerly dESCO, was approved to participate in the CRA Job Creation & Talent Attraction Program. FieldEdge is the company that invented service software for contractors.

FieldEdge, the company that invented service software for contractors, was approved to participate in Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency’s (CRA) Job Creation & Talent Attraction Program. CRA commissioners approved FieldEdge’...

EFM Spotlight: La Michoacana Ice Cream Shop

This month's East Fort Myers redevelopment area spotlight is La Michoacana ice cream shop, located at 3629 Palm Beach Boulevard. View their video for more details!

The monthly East Fort Myers Spotlight feature was developed to support the business community in the East Fort Myers redevelopment area, through using social media and website promotion to focus on various small businesses that may not otherwise have an o...

The Truth About Community Redevelopment Agencies

These community-minded entities can be structured differently but have common goals. April 2019 Gulfshore Business article by Lori Johnston.

Please click the link below to access the article on redevelopment agencies from Gulfshore Business:

The Truth About Community Redevelopment Agencies article

Cheryl Thornton Joins Fort Myers CRA, Receives Promotion

The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is proud to announce that Cheryl Vaughan Thornton, who joined the CRA in September 2018 as Community Redevelopment Manager, and was promoted to the role of Fiscal Manager for the Agency in March 2019.

As Fiscal Manager, Ms. Thornton will oversee financial processes such as the CRA’s budgets, financial reports, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) calculations, disbursements, etc.

Prior to joining the CRA, Ms. Thornton was a juvenile case manager for BAYS Flori...

First Company Approved to Participate in CRA Job Program

The first company approved to participate in Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency’s (CRA) Job Creation & Talent Attraction Program is Cigent Technology Inc.

CRA commissioners approved Cigent’s application and the firm is eligible to receive up to $8,000 if the new employee is both working and residing in a redevelopment area.

This program will incentivize the creation and retention of full-time employment with...

More Than Just a Garden – Barden Street’s New Community Garden Selected $13,000 Grant

On February 27, 2019, CRA commissioners approved a grant for up to $13,000 to complete the $246,000 Barden Street Community Garden Learning Center (BCG), requested by the I Will Mentorship Foundation.

More than just a garden, this urban initiative will infuse 21st Century agricultural skills and the beautification of a blighted neighborhood with art and culture. This multi-faceted effort combines community development, nutrition, education, entrepreneu...

EFM Spotlight: Andy's Mini Market & Grocery

This month's East Fort Myers redevelopment area spotlight is Andy's Mini Market & Grocery, located at 3805 Palm Beach Boulevard. View their video for more details!

The monthly East Fort Myers Spotlight feature was developed to support the business community in the East Fort Myers redevelopment area, through using social media and website promotion to focus on various small businesses that may not otherwise have an o...

Grand Central Project Shaping Up!

The Grand Central project on Cleveland Avenue is really shaping up!

The retail properties are all complete and open. The apartments
are under construction and are expected to be completed by February/March 2020.

Grand Central was approved for a CRA tax increment fund (TIF)rebate as well as Cleveland Avenue Stormwater Cr...

Cleveland Avenue Medians Completed

Beautification of the medians and underneath the Colonial Boulevard overpass has been completed!

The CRA and the City of Fort Myers have worked together to revitalize and improve the look of Cleveland Avenue (U.S. 41)!

The CRA provided a $194,200 funding match for a $100,000 FDOT Beautification Grant for the design, installation, and maintenance of me...

EFM Spotlight: El Caribe Latin Flavor Cuban Restaurant & Bakery

This month's East Fort Myers redevelopment area spotlight is El Caribe Latin Flavor Cuban Restaurant & Bakery, located at 3917 Palm Beach Boulevard. View their video for more details!

Click the picture below to view video:

EFM Spotlight: Neenie's House

This month's East Fort Myers redevelopment area spotlight is Neenie's House, located at 481 Marsh Avenue. View their video for more details!

Click the picture below to view video:

Sheryl Rea Joins Fort Myers CRA

The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is proud to announce that Sheryl Rea joined the CRA in January 2019 as Sr. Administrative Assistant.

As Sr. Administrative Assistant, Ms. Rea will manage the CRA office.

She is an accomplished administrative manager, having worked in private corporate sectors as well as in State and County government agencies.

Previous experience in a variety of sectors wi...

New Job Creation & Talent Attraction Program

The CRA’s program will incentivize the creation and retention of full-time employment within the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Areas by offering a grant payment to companies that create or relocate high wage full-time jobs within an area.

The City of Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is proud to announce the new Job Creation & Talent Attraction Program.

Targeted industries eligible for the program include research and development in the physical, engineering, computer or l...

CRA to purchase Medical/Fire Rescue Utility Task Vehicle for Fort Myers River District Special Event

CRA Board approved the purchase of a customized Medical/Fire Rescue Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) for $26,000 using Downtown redevelopment area funds, to be used by the Fire Department to better navigate through the River District’s growing special events.

At the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) January 23, 2019, Board meeting, commissioners recognized that the River District’s growing special events required improved first responder access in navigating the crowded streets&mdas...

CRA - McCollum Hall Restoration Presentation - 02/24/2016

CRA - McCollum Hall Restoration Presentation 02/24/2016 from Fort Myers on Vimeo.

Press & Videos

Press     

• Wall Street Journal Fort Myers: In Cities with Low Unemployment, Wages Finally Start to Get Bigger  January 1, 2018
• Business Observer Move Forward: SWFL Community Foundation's Tech Hu...