The last time I visited downtown Ft. Myers was several years ago and all I can remember from that visit was old buildings, overgrown weeds, a run down river front, and homeless people wandering around. It was depressing and sad to see a historical area in such disrepair especially one that was once a thriving hub of business when Thomas Edison was alive.
What a surprise I encountered last week when I saw restored buildings, quaint antique shops, art galleries, law offices, outdoor cafés, boutiques, a breath taking marina, and beautiful manicured landscaping. There was even a thriving farmers market where people were buying organic vegetables, honey, seafood, sunflowers, and goat’s cheese. Once again Ft. Myers is a thriving hub of businesses. The homeless people were replaced by European tourist, locals buying fresh produce, and business people who work and live in downtown Ft. Myers going to lunch.
Upon researching why the positive change I discovered that Lee County invested in a 4 year renovation project to restore the old city and bring it up to date so that so that it would maintain historical buildings by updating them for today’s businesses. The new downtown is pleasing to the eye and encourages one to take a walking tour to experience the beautiful sites and be humbled by the beauty of the river.
I enjoyed visiting the old court house which is currently being used by Lee County Commissioners. Their offices are located on the bottom floor of the building and the public chambers are located on the second floor. The building is beautiful with its marble and wood carvings. No city could afford to build a building like this today due to the high cost of the craftsmen’s work that was required to produce this building. The banyan tree in front of the old courthouse is a site to behold. There was talk of cutting the tree down because its roots were destroying the road in front of the courthouse but the community lobbied to save the tree. However, I was sad to see that the magnificent old oak tree has been cut down. As a young boy, on my last visit to the downtown area, I was impressed with the huge oak. The city is trying to remember the oak by carving an eagle on its trunk but it is not the same as seeing the tree alive. At least the banyan tree survived.
Another building I visited was the old hardware store which has been renovated and is called the Shops of Franklin. This new business rents space to producers of upscale boutique products. The owner is a young 24 year old woman who is allowing local artist to sell products in her shop. She employs six workers and is helping the local economy by creating this new business.
In summary I was impressed with the way the downtown area has kept historical landmarks and created a positive environment using the natural beauty of the river, trees, and plants to enhance the beauty of the old buildings. The economy appears to be thriving with the new businesses, a local farmers market, renovated marina, restaurants, and newly built and renovated condos along the river front. The city of Ft Myers is a safe place to visit, work, and live just like it was when Thomas Edison walked the same streets.
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