CRA McCollum Hall Survey Is Now Open 2025

FORT MYERS, Fla. (October 8, 2025) – The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is asking the public to take an online survey to gather community input on the future use of the restored McCollum Hall.

The survey is now available online at https://forms.office.com/g/PG9FedLDQJ?origin=lprLink

“It’s really important for us to hear from the entire community about how they see preserving the past of this historic gem as well as what the future looks like for this to become a hub for our thriving community,” said Michele Hylton Terry, executive director of the Fort Myers CRA. “We really want our neighbors and residents to lend their voices for what comes next.”

The survey will be live until October 31, 2025.

A dedicated website, McCollumHall.com, has been established as a central hub for all project information and to keep the public informed on project updates.

Built in 1938 by Clifford “Buck” McCollum, Sr., McCollum Hall was the centerpiece of commerce, music and entertainment in the Dunbar Community during the segregation era. A popular stop for touring Black entertainers on the Chitlin’ Circuit, its second-floor dance hall jumped to life when musicians took to the stage, including Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie and Otis Redding. It is a catalyst renovation project in promoting redevelopment in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. redevelopment area.

McCollum Hall was named to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places on April 18, 2022. It is a site on Florida’s Black Heritage Trail. It is a catalyst renovation project in promoting redevelopment in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. redevelopment area.

Since 1984, the CRA has managed redevelopment trusts to revitalize designated 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 designed to reverse deterioration, support economic development, and increase property valueshttps://fortmyerscra.com

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.