Solid Waste 4th of July Holiday Collection Schedule

FORT MYERS, FL (June 25, 2019) – The City of Fort Myers Solid Waste Division will observe Independence Day on Thursday, July 4, 2019. City offices will be closed.

There will be no residential or commercial trash and recycling collection on July 4. Resident...

Class of nine graduates from new FMFD recruit training program

FORT MYERS, FL (June 24, 2019) – Nine new members of the Fort Myers Fire Department were sworn in on Friday, June 21. The recruits graduated from an inaugural training program conducted by FMFD as a follow-on to the candidate’s success...

South Street future use information session takes place June 25

Ward 1 Community Meeting takes place on June 25

Orientation kicks off this summer’s Step Up To Work program

FORT MYERS, FL (June 13, 2019) – Today the City of Fort Myers welcomed 25 local high school students taking part in its Step Up To Work summer student aide program. Participants work in different departments throughout city government to gain jo...

Deion Sanders brings 7-on-7 game to Bishop Verot High School

FORT MYERS, FL (June 12, 2019) – Deion Sanders, nationally known sports analyst and retired former professional football and baseball player, is returning to Fort Myers to host a 7-on-7 game with his Prime Time team from Dallas. The Dallas team members wi...

Ward 6 Community Meeting takes place on June 19

FORT MYERS, FL (June 10, 2019) – Fort Myers City Councilwoman Gaile Anthony will host a Ward 6 Community Meeting on Wednesday, June 19 at 4:00 p.m. at the Treeline Fire Station meeting room, located at 9700 Treeline Avenue in Fort Myers...

Ward 4 Community Meeting takes place on June 20

FORT MYERS, FL (June 6, 2019) – Fort Myers City Councilman Kevin Anderson will host a Ward 4 Community Meeting on Thursday, June 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Thomas A. Edison Congregational Church, 1619 Llewellyn Drive, Fort Myers. All are we...

Ward 2 Community Meeting takes place on June 6

FORT MYERS, FL (June 4, 2019) – Fort Myers City Councilman Johnny W. Streets, Jr. will host a Ward 2 Community Meeting on Thursday, June 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Riverside Community Center, located at 3061 East Riverside Drive, Fort Myers.

The agend...

City’s annual fire hydrant inspection program begins June 1

Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown honored with 2019 Home Rule Hero Award

FORT MYERS, FL (May 30, 2019) – The Florida League of Cities recently recognized Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown with a 2019 Home Rule Hero Award. Ms. Watkins Brown earned this prestigious award for her tireless efforts to protect the...

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 6 Community Meeting takes place on June 19

Grand Central Update

The Grand Central apartments 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 estimated value of $50 million, is the first project to use stormwater treatment credits from the Cleveland Avenue Nutrient Bank. The Nutrient Bank is an additio...

New CFM Landscaping Plan for Dr. MLK, Jr. Blvd

David M. Jones and Associates, Inc., Gregory J. Diserio, RLA, has worked with J.B. Schuetz, Parks and Beautification Manager with the City of Fort Myers, to create a new landscape design for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (State Road 82).

J.B. Schuetz, Parks and Beautification Manager with the City of Fort Myers, has been the City’s lead person working with Mr. Diserio. The plans, known as the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Landscape Refresh Plans, have been approved by the City’s Beaut...

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...