Study underway to decide City of Palms Park redevelopment options

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A feasibility study is underway to determine the best use for the vacant City of Palms Park property, with the potential to bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to Fort Myers, according to Cole Peacock, a Florida consultant working with Card & Associates on the project.

The study began January 20 and will assess the 20-plus acre property to determine what infrastructure improvements are needed and what type of development would best serve the city's economic development goals. Peacock said the right project could attract "hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of new tourists."

Card & Associates specializes in amateur sports facilities that can serve multiple functions, including high school graduations, cheerleading competitions, volleyball, basketball or indoor soccer events. However, Peacock emphasized that the study is an open assessment of what would work best for the property.

"The scoping and feasibility will really kind of lay out what that area can handle. What infrastructure needs to take place, and then around that what's going to support it," Peacock said. "You can't just put up a building and not have something to surround and support it."

Headquartered in Indiana, this would be Card & Associates' first project of this type in Florida.

Study will explore multiple options

The feasibility study will evaluate options for the site, including a linear park, arts center, mixed-use development, or other amenities that would complement the main facility.

"This would be what would go there, what would replace it," Peacock said about the study's scope. "Card & Associates will be involved in that whole process all the way through to make sure every step of the way that things are being done in the best interest of the city."

The study is expected to take six to 10 months and will include site surveys, engineering assessments and architectural planning. The assessment will determine infrastructure needs, potential costs and the best design layout for the property.

Community residents express hopes for youth activities

Long-time residents in the surrounding neighborhood are hoping that any development will focus on youth activities. Brenda Lynom, who has lived in the area for over 30 years, said the community desperately needs something for young people.

"The community is dead. There's nothing for kids to do. There's nothing for nobody to do," Lynom said. "Our youth do not have a lot offered to them. We need to grab our youth now before it gets too late."

Lynom said the lack of activities has left young people with few options and believes any facility that serves youth would benefit both children and their families.

"Most families will support their children. So if you have the kids, you got the parents," Lynom said.

Jorge Diaz, another 30-year resident of the neighborhood, expressed support for something "big and bright" that supports kids and hopes the community will help maintain any new facility.

Demolition proceeds alongside study

The city has already voted to demolish the existing stadium and building at City of Palms Park. The demolition can proceed simultaneously with the feasibility study without impacting the assessment process, according to Peacock.

The study will involve engineers and architects conducting a comprehensive site development analysis, including underground infrastructure needs and electrical capacity requirements. All team members working on the project are local, which Peacock said helps feed the local economy and create jobs.

Once the study is complete, Card & Associates rep tell me, they will help identify best practices and

Peacock tells me the next steps are to expand their partnership to provide developers to move forward with construction. This would be beyond the initial feasibility phase. That process would need a new contract and to be voted on by council.

In past meetings, the council was clear about the project's aim to preserve some historic elements of the site while transforming it into a facility that supports the city's Midtown development goals.

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