Redevelopment plans in the works for Gardner’s Park

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A neighborhood near downtown Fort Myers could soon get a facelift.

Gardner’s Park, located just east of downtown, already has boutique shops and restaurants, but it’s hoping to welcome more.

“People don’t know where this,” said Rob Johnson, “so branding this area is going to be really helpful in getting people to know where we are.”

Johnson is the owner of the Butterfly Estates in Fort Myers.

He says Gardner’s Park is a cluster of shops and restaurants located around Fowler Street and Hough Street.

It’s not the most picturesque neighborhood now, but new plans may change that.

“It’s all about making this particular are of Fort Myers and the city, kind of rejuvenate its identity,” said Johnson.

“We’ve had some small shops that have come in and gone,” said Bobbie Schwartz, owner of the Wisteria Tea Room.

She hopes new plans, like adding sidewalks and repaved roads, will breathe life back into this community to keep businesses open and the money flowing in.

“We’re really excited to see what happens,” said Schwartz. “Once you see more shops, it will just feed off of each other.”

Johnson says the plan would be funded through taxpayer dollars with money that would eventually be invested back into the community.

“Once you realize the shops that are here, you realize they’re all locally owned, they have incredible items,” said Johnson.

There is currently no timeline for when construction on the project will start.