Jackie Guenther
•7/22/2026
The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has decided not to move forward with a proposal to use air rights for redevelopment above Edison Mall and areas surrounding Cleveland Ave.
The CRA reviewed a study that explored ways to better utilize the land by adding features like apartments or condos while keeping existing stores and restaurants in place. However, the study determined that the plan was not suitable for this location.
The property’s proximity to Page Field Airport imposes height restrictions that could limit the construction of taller buildings.
“There’s really no reason to transfer development rates from one portion of the property to the other,” said Jeremy Chastain, a land use planner for Bowman Consulting. “And in regard to building above the existing mall buildings, that [would] be extremely difficult due to the age of the building, the amount of work it would likely take to relocate equipment, and to make sure that it could structurally support the additional levels above.”
Any taller projects would also likely require additional reviews by the Lee County Port Authority and possibly the Federal Aviation Administration. Consultants noted that developers can already build up to five stories under current zoning, making the creation of extra air rights unnecessary.
Chastain explained that the discussion about air rights is not limited to the mall but also includes future redevelopment projects along Cleveland Avenue.
“It’s a deliverable item in a Cleveland area redevelopment plan that goes across Cleveland Avenue for the length of it, I think, in the city of Fort Myers,” Chastain said. “So there’s other areas. It’s just the mall was a line item there for a potential redevelopment just because of its location in the city of Fort Myers and the size, and that it’s already kind of a cultural hub.”
Ultimately, commissioners concluded there was no reason to proceed with the air rights plan, not only for Edison Mall but also for redevelopment along Cleveland Avenue.
