An information session to discuss the Cleveland Avenue Redevelopment Plan was the second six sessions planned by the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency.
U.S. 41 is known as Cleveland Avenue in that section and the Redevelopment Area is bounded (approximately) on the north by Lee Health hospital and on the south by the Edison Mall.
The stretch of road is heavily traveled, supporting 55,000 cars per day. Most don’t make stops in the redevelopment area, said Javier Omana, director of Land Planning Services with CPH Engineering, one of the leads on the project.
Many who answered a questionnaire about the area described it as “ugly and blighted.”
One pending change that will surely transform the area is the fact that Lee Health plans to move away from their current site in coming years.
While there are just over 2,000 people living in the CRA area, which is primarily commercial spaces, the schools, hospital and retail establishments serve nearly 700,000 people during daytime hours.
Omana and the team have been gathering data about what people would like from the CRA. “People want walkability and connectivity, the ability to walk from the neighborhoods to the commercial area.” Connectivity in this case means the ability to cross from east to west and vice versa across Cleveland Avenue.
Something he says they have working in their favor is that the city in that area is on a grid system, which is easiest to work with for those goals.
Several staffers mentioned that they wished more local residents were participating in the process. There were about 11 residents at the first meeting and about the same amount Thursday night.
Please fill out the questionnaire about the area here.
For more information, see the website.
The team hopes to have an end date, and buy-in from Fort Myers City Council, in February 2025.
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