Fort Myers’ request for proposals to reinvent a historic Art Deco jazz and swing-era dance hall opened Wednesday accompanied by a cash injection from condo developer Robert MacFarlane.
Over 10 years in fitful planning, the restoration of McCollum Hall will redefine the corner of Cranford Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; once the commercial and entertainment hub of the city’s African-American community.
“We’re looking to team with others on the design and architecture end of the building,” said one of the bidders, April Kelley of Estero-based A+ Builders, whose historic renovation experience includes the 1926 Okeechobee County Courthouse.
Co-owned by Andre Poirier, A+ will propose its vision for the former dance hall portion and the exterior of the building, while other firms including Maxwell, Hendry and Simmons and Trinity Commercial Group are soliciting prospective tenants.
“The most important part is the lease of the building,” Kelley said.
Trinity Commercial's Dan Oberski hopes to see an upper story gathering and event space emphasizing the arts, especially music.
"Taking some of the characteristics of the history of music and the legends that have performed there has to be utilized," Oberski said.
As for the street-level space, "It should have a mix of traditional uses in order to be successful," he said. "You can't go too extreme or it will fail. You want this project to bring open life to the community and to all of us."
A pre-bid meeting for interested bidders is scheduled for June 6 at 10 a.m. at 2701 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Proposals are due June 25.
The deadline is shorter than those recommended by former councilman Mike Flanders, Stantec community redevelopment consultant Jared Beck, and others.
Berk Edwards, the city’s legal counsel for community redevelopment matters, had approved a more generous time frame. But a 75-day version offered by Interim CRA Director Michele Hylton-Terry was retracted because of a curious Florida statute.
“It requires the CRA to advertise an RFP for at least 30 days,” Edwards said of the statute, but "It also provides that proposals must be made by those interested within 30 days after the date of publication of the advertisement."
Not all Florida community redevelopment districts see it the same way.
"Normal is not a good word (for CRA request for proposals), because CRA projects vary substantially in size and complexity," said Homestead City Manager George Gretsas. "For a very complex project, limiting it to 90 days could be a sign that the CRA doesn’t want many proposers."
Christopher Carmody, an attorney and shareholder whose firm GrayRobinson, P.A. advises CRA bidders, said, "I don't believe they can go shorter than 30 days, but I think they can go longer. I feel comfortable saying that."
Asked about the McCollum Hall deadline, former councilman Flanders held to his opinion.
"The RFP needs more than 30 days if you want to attract a variety of proposals, so someone not familiar with the specifics can look at the site and put a team together."
Fort Myers is sticking to the 30-day rule for McCollum Hall, however.
Timed with the announcement, developer MacFarlane presented the city with a check for $140,000 toward the restoration of the historic building.
MacFarlane had been on the hook for the payment since the city blessed his 22-story downtown waterfront high rise, Prima Luce, in February 2016. The check brings his payments toward McCollum Hall’s restoration to $280,000.
“This check goes to McCollum Hall, the gateway to Dunbar,” said MacFarlane, using the catch-all name for the historically African American area near downtown, east of the Evans Avenue railroad tracks where his firm will develop attainable housing.
"We were fortunate a few weeks ago to be given the authority to move forward with Towles Garden, which will be about 50 percent affordable home ownership and 50 percent market rate," he said.
Located on city-owned land at the corner of Edison Avenue and Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard, Towles Garden is the first of many the developer plans as his firm buys up property in a westward trajectory toward Fowler Street.
Encouraged by meetings with lender-investors Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, MacFarlane, known for luxury condos, sees attainable housing as his next Holy Grail in Fort Myers.
"If you look at the colored community, the homeownership is less than the white community,” he said, echoing an observation by former President George W. Bush when he signed the American Dream Downpayment Act in 2003.
“It’s an opportunity to expand while doing good,” he said.
Follow this reporter on twitter @PatriciaBorns
For more information
- A pre-bid meeting will be held June 6 at 10 p.m. at 2701 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. Proposals are due June 25.
- For questions about the RFP contact purchasing liaison Paula Carter at pcarter@cityftmyers.com.
- To tour the McCollum Hall property contact CRA Interim Director Michele Hylton-Terry at mhylton@cityftmyers.com or (239) 321-7100.
- To learn more about McCollum Hall's history, call or visit the Lee County Black History Society at 1936 Henderson Ave, Fort Myers,
- For information about state and federal guidelines for historic preservation, contact Jason Aldridge, the Florida Division of Historical Resources' compliance and review supervisor, at CompliancePermits@dos.myflorida.com or (850) 245-6333.