River District development moving forward

FLORIDA WEEKLY PHOTO This aerial view from the Caloosahatchee River shows the area of the River District that will be developed into a walking promenade, additional boat docks, an open-air market and retail and restaurants, according to city plans. Fort Myers leaders will likely bow to private developers to revive the downtown waterfront.

"I remain concerned with our ability to fund this," said Jeff Green, the city's finance director. "We need to look to private developers."

Green was speaking to the city council on Monday, April 30 after a presentation by architects Bill Mudgett and Wiley Parker. The pair briefed council on their ideas of what should be done to make the River District a destination for shopping, dining and recreation.

"Our main point was based on the two biggest assets in downtown Fort Myers - the (Caloosahatchee) River and First Street," Mudgett told council.

"Everything we've done ties back to that - to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts."

And leaders liked the plan.

>> Move: The Hall of 50 States about two blocks north next to Palm Park. "I'm very happy with it," said Councilman Warren Wright.

"I support it wholeheartedly," said Councilman Mike Flanders.

Next up for the city, is to hire architects or planners to do the details, find private developers to build the retail shops and restaurants and entertainment venues and look for money to build the public amenities.

Among the suggestions from Mudgett and Parker are:

+ Relocate the Hall of 50 States about two blocks north next to Palm Park.

+ Reduce Edwards Drive in width to calm traffic. Change the parking to parallel. However, Mudgett said they're rethinking this. "Edwards Drive is the biggest open space in downtown Fort Myers, it needs to be maintained," he said.

+ Erect a band shell in Centennial Park or construct a floating stage that could be pulled out for events.

+ Add docks for transient sailors.

+ Create an open-air market on Hendry Street between Bay Street and Edwards Drive.

+ At the site of the old Exhibition Hall, which was demolished in February, build a low-rise building for retail and restaurants with an "open" ground floor and a walking promenade along the river.

>> Build: A low-rise building for retail and restaurants on the former site of Exhibition Hall. + Build a parking garage with retail shops on the site of the Harborside parking lot.

+ Add a restaurant to the City Pier building. Other possible uses include the Olympic art display.

+ Add several towers near the City Pier and the dock master's facility that can be seen from McGregor Boulevard and U.S. 41 to advertise the River District.

Don Paight, executive director of the Fort. Myers Redevelopment Agency, suggested putting together smaller projects to give to developers who have the experience in retail and multiuse projects. He said it would not be a good idea to pick just one developer to do the entire project. He also suggested that council determine if it wants national-scale development or projects for local businesses.

The preliminary work of obtaining legal documents and creating requests for proposals is expected to take months to complete.

>> Add: New docks for transient sailors. >> Erect: A bandshell at Centennial park or construct a floating stage.