Restoration of Downtown Fort Myers
In 2003, the Fort Myers City Council passed a redevelopment plan for the River District that is part of Fort Myers' historic downtown with the aim of reviving the old part of town.
As part of the 70-million-dollar project, the infrastructure of the city district bordering the Caloosahatchee River underwent a technical modernization. One of the first things, that was done was to replace many conduits and pipes from the 1920s with new materials.
The next step consisted of repainting the old building facades. In addition, the streetscape was improved by adding new and attractive shops, offices and restaurants. Before, downtown Fort Myers used to be fairly abandoned. Now, downtown Fort Myers has once again become an inviting place for shopping and dining.
The new "old" pavement in this part of the city is particularly noteworthy, as the old bricks underneath the pavement were recovered and re-used for paving. The old-time splendor of downtown Fort Myers has been restored and visitors can explore the city strolling along the same brick pavement that was once used by Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.
