Contact: LaShaun Middlebrooks Collier, Deputy Director of Communications,
Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency: (239) 321-7100
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CRA approves commercial property improvement grants for Barbee & Byrd Cleveland Ave. properties
FORT MYERS, Fla. (Nov. 29, 2023) – The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) recently approved Commercial Property Improvement Matching Grants for three Barbee & Byrd properties in the Cleveland Avenue redevelopment area.
The first is for a Barbee & Byrd, Inc. property located at 1933-1945 Suwanee Ave. in Fort Myers in the not-to-exceed amount of $20,247.75. The commercial plaza which includes retail space, beauty salon, a church and estate sales, will use the funds for exterior patching, painting and parking lot improvements.
The second grant is for Barbee & Byrd, Inc’s property located at 1938-1946 Suwanee Ave.in the not-to-exceed amount of $20,992.50. The property which includes a church and beauty salon will use the funds for exterior patching, painting and parking lot improvements.
The third grant was awarded to Barbee & Byrd, Inc. in the not-to-exceed amount of $22,050 for their property located at 1940 Jefferson Ave. The property houses a beauty supply store and will use the funds for exterior painting and paving the parking lot.
The Cleveland Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Redevelopment Areas are still open for applications and have funds remaining for the 2023/24 cycle.
The CRA Commercial Property Improvement Grant Program is a matching grant for commercial property owners and businesses within Fort Myers redevelopment areas. The maximum potential grant available for a project in Tier I is 75 percent of the total eligible expenditure, with a maximum award of $50,000. The Fort Myers CRA has offered commercial preservation incentives/ grant programs since 2010 and grant awards are based on the availability of funds.
More information on the CRA’s Commercial Property Improvement Grant Program can be found at https://www.fortmyerscra.com/incentives/commercial-property-improvement-matching-grant
ABOUT THE FORT MYERS COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA)
Since 1984, the CRA has managed redevelopment trusts to revitalize blighted areas in the City of Fort Myers. This reinvestment can take the form of public infrastructure, residential and commercial grant programs, public arts, affordable housing development, safety initiatives and historic preservation.
If left under-resourced, parts of our city risk remaining overlooked, affecting community spirit, and slowing economic growth. This lack of redevelopment doesn’t just impact current residents—it also discourages potential new businesses and families from making our city their home. Imagine a city where every neighborhood is a beacon of growth and community spirit—a place where residents enjoy sustainable, thriving spaces and businesses benefit from a vibrant economic environment. This is the future we’re creating. The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency was created in 1984 by the City of Fort Myers, Florida, under Florida Statute Chapter 163. The Fort Myers City Council members, sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency Board of Commissioners, oversee the Agency’s programs and policies. The Fort Myers CRA office is located at 1400 Jackson Street in the historical downtown River District.
