Your VOICE Your MLK Corridor!

MAY 31, 2016

Demographics of the MLK corridor

EXISTINGDemographic and business characteristics of the MLK corridor1

Demographics of the MLK corridor

Characteristics of the MLK corridor:

SIGNIFICANCEOF THE MLK CORRIDOR TO THE CITY OF FORT MYERS

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (MLK) is an east-west thoroughfare that serves as an entrance to the City of Fort Myers. The corridor, once known as Anderson Avenue, leads from the intersection of In-terstate 75 to Downtown. Located on both sides of MLK from Veronica S. Shoemaker Boulevard (VSS) to Cranford Avenue is the Dunbar neighborhood. Dunbar, named after the famous African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, is the center of the African-American community in Fort Myers. MLK has served as a primary transportation route connecting Downtown Fort Myers with the region. In addition to being a major transportation corridor, the roadway has served as a centralizing element for African American history and culture in Fort Myers. In its long history the corridor has been home to locally-owned African-American businesses, as well as a location for entertainment and cultural venues.

On the western end of the corridor, properties along the road are typically one-story set close to the road. These buildings are a mixture of neighborhood commercial. Many of the structures were built in the 1950’s and are in need of repair. The eastern end of MLK is a mixture of commercial and industrial build-ings. The buildings are also one-story tall and are set back further from the street.

In 2002, the city and FDOT began a complete overhaul of MLK. The widening of MLK improved aesthetics and traffic flow but has jeopardized the neighborhood fabric of the community. The absence of on-street parking, narrow sidewalks and too few crosswalks, coupled with high vehicle travel speeds, makes the cor-ridor feel unsafe for pedestrians.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard is a major thoroughfare that serves as an import-ant connection in the regional transportation network, but more importantly, is embedded in the heart of the Dunbar community. Vis-itors to the City will pass through this area and it will be their first impression of the City. Due to the high visibility, this location is ideal for commercial and entertainment destinations.

In addition to being a major transportation corridor and a gateway to the City, the roadway has served as a centralizing element for African American history and culture in Fort Myers. In its long history the corridor has been home to locally-owned African-American businesses, as well as a location for entertainment and cultural venues.

Realizing the importance of this corridor as a transportation and community connector, the city and the residents recognize the need to join together to create a strategy for growth and redevelopment of the corridor in order to preserve the community character of the area. As revitalization takes place along the corridor, it is important that residents not be priced out of the area. This can be accomplished by creating a more upwardly mobile community while improving the physical attributes of the place.

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RESULTS of the Community Preference Analysis and Visual Preference Assessment3

A Visual Preference Survey/Assessment was developed using PowerPoint and a Turning Point voting device to determine the neighborhood’s preference in types of commercial struc-tures, types of housing, and types of public art. A variety of photographs of commercial structures, housing types and public art forms was compiled. The participants rated the photographs as (A) Not Desirable -2; (B) Somewhat Not Desirable -1; (C) Neutral 0; (D) Somewhat Desirable +1; (E) Very Desirable +2. The same rating structure was provid-ed for housing types. The public art centerpiece provided a similar format for sculptures, statues, murals/ mosaics, whimsical art forms, water features and light sculptures.

Summary:Light sculptures received a score of +53 and was clearly the preference for the public art centerpiece followed by a water feature with a score of +51 and a statute with a score of +29.

Housing in the Business District was not acceptable to 53% of the participants though 29% said they would accept housing only in mixed-use buildings in the business district. The participants preferred two-story single family detached structures with a two car garage(+113) and one-story single family detached structures with a one car garage (+86). The participants were neutral (-1) to slightly negative (-16) on two story single family attached structures. High-rise hous-ing developments were not desired by this neighborhood and received a -138 score. The following housing types also received negative scores:

• Mid-rise developments (-110)• Mobile/manufactured homes (-111)• Shot gun style homes (-165)

The neighborhood indicated that they would prefer new single story commercial buildings with multiple tenants, clean lines, simple awnings and uniform signage (+121). Two-story commercial structures with offices or apartments on the second floor were also desirable (+116). However, new single-story com-mercial structures with multiple tenants that looked like a strip mall with varied signage dropped to a score of (-9). Chain restaurants were acceptable with scores ranging from +44 to +80 and free standing, single story commercial structures with 50% transparency

scored between +49 to +80. Undesirable commercial struc-tures and uses scored as follows:

• Heavy industrial uses (-161)• Automotive uses - tires (-165)• Outdoor display of merchandise (-150)• Buildings lacking first floor transparency (-140)• Older strip style commercial structures (-112)

A Community Preference Analysis was created using free standing stations designed to gather input:

STATION ONE: Participants identified the following uses as desirable within their neighborhood.

Halfway house for recover-ing adults

Nice Neat Parks

Perkins Grocery Store

Dog Day Care and Grooming Soul Food Restaurant

Banks Boutiques

Movie Theaters Credit Union

Medical Facility with Den-tists, Doctors, etc.

Car Wash

Assisted Living Facility Krispy Creme Donut Shop

Ice Cream Parlor Restaurants

Good, affordable Restau-rants

Safe Hang out for Teens and Pre-Teens

STATION TWO: Participants identified the following uses as NOT desirable within their neighborhood.

Gun Shops Dollar General

Bars Dollar Tree

Liquor Stores Laundry Mats

Nightclubs Car washes

Tire Centers Pawn Shops

Junk Yards Used Car Lot

Thrift Stores Trap House/Crack House

Factories

RESULTS of the Community Preference Analysis and Visual Preference Assessment 3

Commercial Development

REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIESAND ASPIRATIONS FOR HOUSING AND BUSINESS IN THE MLK CORRIDOR4

• Sit-down restaurant• High-end restaurant• Coffee shop- a neighborhood gathering place• Book Store• Coffee-sandwich shop• Soul food restaurant• Cleaners• Thrift Shop• Special Needs housing: an all boys group

home/boot camp• Working with persons directly out of jail/prison• Day Care• Nursing school• Radio Station• Sit-down outside restaurant• Family oriented event center like skating rink

or game time• Adult Day care• Bed & breakfast• Gym for professional training and workouts for

athletes• Infant care center• Men's clothing store for business attire• Business to assist people with diabetes; ie

education, merchandise geared toward the disease, services

• Day care for adults with disabilities

• Hair Salon• Beauty supply retail• Car wash/detail shop• Food Truck• Home Health Agency• Group Home Care• Group Home• Auto Dealer• Clothing Store• Health Education School• Perkins• Halfway house for recovering adults• Restaurant• Grocery store• Food store• Bank• Banking credit union• KFC• Some Place for young people• Boys home for minority males• Hair business• Business to empower young girls on their

beauty and worth• Clothing store• Ice cream shop

The following is a list of the businesses participants feel are needed along the MLK corridor:

PROGRAMS/INCENTIVES/TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES to assist redevelopment in the MLK corridor and contact information6

The Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC) www.swfrpc.org | Contact: 239-938-1813

The City of Ft. Myers | www.cityftmyers.com City Hall Main Office: 239-321-7000

The 21st Century Collaboration Contact: First Assembly Cornerstone 239-337-4140 Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida, Inc.http://qualitylifecenter.org | Contact: 239-334-2797

Southwest Florida Enterprise Center (SWEC) www.swflenterprisecenter.com | Contact: 239-321-7086

Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (FM-CRA) www.cityftmyers.com | Contact: 239-321-7100

Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce www.fortmyers.org | Contact: 239-332-3624

Small Business Development Center - FGCUhttp://fsbdcswfl.org | Contact: 239-745-3700 Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) - www.fgcu.edu | Contact: (239) 590-1000

Florida Southwestern University (Edison State College) www.fsw.edu | Contact: (239) 489-9300

Hodges University | www.hodges.edu | Contact: Na-ples 1-800-466-8017 | Fort Myers 1-800-466-0019

Horizon Council - Lee County’s umbrella economic development organization. www.leecountybusiness.com/horizon-council | Contact: (239) 338-3161

Fort Myers Regional Partnership – Lee County’s Eco-nomic Development Office www.fortmyersregionalpartnership.com | www.leecountybusiness.comContact: 239-338-3161 or 800-330-3161

Lee Entrepreneurs’ Assistance Resource Network (LEARN) www.leecountybusiness.com/learn

Fort Myers Economic Development Office www.cityftmyers.com/35/Business Contact: 239-321-7000

Alliance of Educational Leaders www.swfleducation.com | Contact: 239-225-2500

Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) www.score219.org www.sba.gov Contact: 239-489-2935

Career Source Southwest Florida (Workforce) http://careersourcesouthwestflorida.com | Contact: 239-931-8200

Career Source Training Incentives include the follow-ing:• Customized Training• On-The-Job Training Program (OJT)• Internship Program• Quick Response Training Program (QRT)• Incumbent Worker Training Program (IWT)

Enterprise Florida (Coral Gables/Miami)www.eflorida.com | Contact: 305-808-3660

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND PARTNERS | Business Assistance Resources

Help who is homeless.

What I like about the community is the playground!

What I would change about the community is put more lights in the

side walk.

I like it to be a nice place with no dangerous weap-ons and no littering and

recycle-Sebastian

What I hate about my neighborhood...

It has trash and shooters.-Leland

21st Century Collaboration

MARTIN LUTHER KING CORRIDOREXISTING LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT

VISION FOR FUTURE STEPS IN THE REDEVELOPMENT PROCESS