When construction started in Midtown this month, a neighborhood resident told Gulf Coast News that the area is not commuter-friendly and that "there's a lot of locals that have to go along the road right here and just kind of walk along the grass and avoid the cars." The new sidewalks and street lamps are meant to fix that. The same report said detours were already in place at Hoople Street and Central Avenue, and the City of Fort Myers has warned that the detours will move as work moves.
The part of Midtown you can use today is a few blocks of Jackson Street. That's where the gallery, the community hub, the newest apartments and the planned trail all meet. Most of the construction is rebuilding the streets around that corridor, while the stadium block is still a concept.
What Phase 1 covers
The City announced on October 15, 2026 that Phase 1 of the Midtown Improvement Project had begun. It's a project of nearly $29.5 million, bounded by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Broadway Avenue, Hoople Street and Central Avenue. That covers about a third of Midtown's 243-acre redevelopment area, which reaches south to Edison Avenue, west to U.S. 41 and east to Fowler Street. Construction is expected to last through late 2027.
The early work is mostly underground. In September, Gulf Coast News reported that utility work had started over the summer on Central Avenue, Broadway, Victoria Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The full scope includes new water and sewer lines, drainage, rebuilt roads, sidewalks, streetlights, trees, benches and neighborhood wayfinding signs. The piece that changes how the district connects is a shared-use trail along Edison Avenue and Jackson Street. It will link Midtown to the city's larger walking and biking network.
That trail runs along the street where Midtown's newer destinations already are.
The Jackson Street cluster
These are within a short walk of each other:
| Place | Address | What it is right now |
|---|---|---|
| Midtown Atomic Art Gallery | 2026 Jackson St. | Gallery, open Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun noon–5 p.m. |
| Collaboratory | 2031 Jackson St. | Nonprofit community hub and event venue, where the City held its Sept. 17 Midtown meeting |
| Montage at Midtown | 2325 Victoria Ave. | 321 apartments on the block bordered by Jackson, Union, Central and Victoria |
Midtown Atomic Art is the newest of the three. When it opened, WINK News interviewed owner and artist Stacie Krupa, who talked about the value of new housing, restaurants and foot traffic. Since it's open every day of the week, it's the easiest stop on the street.
Montage is the reason Jackson Street matters for what comes next. Gulfshore Business reported that Mayor Kevin Anderson called it the first significant investment in Midtown since City of Palms Park opened in 1993. Catalyst Community Development held a ribbon-cutting there on June 12. The building's five-story garage has 527 spaces, 100 more than zoning requires. Developer Joe Bonora said he built them ahead of a second phase, an office building of about 50,000 square feet that would face Jackson Street next to Montage. So the street that's getting the trail is also where the next private project is planned.
What the construction means at your door
The City's Midtown FAQ describes the day-to-day disruptions. If you live or run a business inside the Phase 1 boundary, here's what to expect, in about the order it would reach you:
- Water shutoffs come with notice. The City says you'll get written notice before your water is turned off, followed by a boil-water notice.
- Driveways get a heads-up. Crews are supposed to give advance notice before working across a driveway.
- Dust and noise depend on the day. The contractor plans to use silt fencing and water trucks to control dust, and noise will vary with each day's work.
- Mail and trash may shift for a while. The City lists temporary disruptions to mail delivery and changes to trash pickup. Crews will try to keep delivery access open and will set up temporary alternatives if they can't.
- Lane closures are daytime only, and storefronts stay reachable. Expect temporary daytime lane closures. Barricades are meant to keep sidewalks next to businesses open.
When the work is done, the area gets sidewalks 7.5 to 12 feet wide, plus trees, benches, bike racks, trash cans and streetlights. The City hasn't posted a street-by-street schedule or a fixed detour map, so the best way to track closures is the project information team at [email protected]. That's where the City sends people for schedules, closures and detours.
Broadway: the Skatium, next to the empty stadium block
Just a few blocks from Jackson Street, the Fort Myers Skatium at 2250 Broadway is still running. The City lists these open skate times:
- Friday: 8:30–10 p.m.
- Saturday: 1–2:50 p.m. and 7:30–9 p.m.
- Sunday: 1–2:50 p.m.
Admission is $10 and includes skate rental. The City notes that open skate times can change and suggests calling 239-321-7509 before you go. The City's construction notice doesn't list any Skatium closure.
Across from the rink is the former City of Palms Park, the old Boston Red Sox spring training stadium. Demolition was underway there on September 17. The site is where Midtown's next big decision will happen. Gulfshore Business reported that developer Card & Associates showed City Council four options on Sept. 16 for an indoor sports fieldhouse, ranging from 162,000 to 200,000 square feet. Council members agreed to focus on the largest one for now, but they didn't take an official vote. A study commissioned by Card and the city estimated $62.7 million a year in economic impact once the fieldhouse is fully running. Card's own measure of success is $20 million or more.
The plans around it are still loose. Card's concept site plan places the fieldhouse near the Skatium and adds apartments, townhouses, hotels, retail and dining. Those surrounding uses could change depending on market conditions. A formal construction agreement could still be months away. Parking is one of the hardest problems, because a bigger fieldhouse leaves less room around it. The proposed redevelopment of the former News-Press property is also unsettled. The News-Press reported in July that Midtown Catalyst had asked for more due-diligence time and was ready to walk away.
So the stadium block is still an open question. The streets around Jackson are already funded and under construction.
Where to show up in November and December
Card said it planned to start town hall-style charrettes in October to hear from Midtown residents and future neighbors of the fieldhouse. Keep an eye out for the dates. Meanwhile, these are already on the calendar:
- Nov. 5, 5:30–7 p.m.: Free College Access Night at Collaboratory, 2031 Jackson St.
- Nov. 6, 10–11 a.m.: Free AI Fridays session at Collaboratory. That evening, the free Monthly Art Walk runs 5–9 p.m. on First Street downtown.
- Nov. 16, 5:30–7 p.m.: The free Edison Lightbulb Speaker Series: The Future of Work at Collaboratory. Doors open at 5.
- Nov. 19, 6 p.m.: The Fort Myers CRA's quarterly town hall at Peyko Venue. It's a general CRA meeting, not a Midtown-only one.
- Nov. 27 through Jan. 3: The 51st annual Holiday Nights at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd., 5:30–9 p.m.
- Dec. 15, 5:30–7 p.m.: Free College Access Night: Resume Building & FAFSA Assistance at Collaboratory.
For a Midtown evening that's easy to plan, pair a weekday visit to Midtown Atomic Art, which closes at 5, with one of Collaboratory's evening events across the street. Or go to the gallery Saturday afternoon and the Skatium's 7:30 session that night.
If you own property inside the Phase 1 boundary and want to talk through what late-2027 sidewalks, a trail on Jackson Street and a possible fieldhouse on Broadway could mean when you sell or rent, Lindsey Moffat follows Midtown block by block and is glad to help. Let's Connect.
