A developer is ready to breathe new life into McCollum Hall after more than 20 years of vacancy. But first, they need financial support from the city of Fort Myers.
Miles Alexander, the real estate developer behind the project, presented plans for McCollum Hall, also called Thirty Eight Collective, at a recent budget retreat attended by city officials.
The development would provide the community with a grocery store setup, food hall, hydroponics, housing and parking on Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Alexander has already invested $910,000 of his own money into the project. The Community Redevelopment Agency has granted a 99-year lease and previously invested $3 million in CRA funds. The project also received a $500,000 grant from the Florida Division of Historical Resources for stabilization efforts.