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CORRECTION TO PREVIOUS RELEASE:
McCollum Hall to add new tenants through new developer

Proposed rendering for McCollum Hall and new apartments, THIRTY8 Collective and THIRTY8 Flats.

CORRECTION TO PREVIOUS RELEASE:
McCollum Hall to add new tenants through new developer
Community members are invited on November 12, 2022, from 11 AM–6 PM to attend an engagement event

FORT MYERS, Fla. (November 1, 2022) — As a correction to a previous release sent out on October 28, 2022, McCollum Hall is not changing its name. Rather the historic property located at 2701 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Fort Myers will house Thirty8 Collective and Thirty8Flats.

At the June 22, 2022 Board of Commissioners meeting, the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) voted to approve Goshen + Cornerstone, LLC as the new developer for McCollum Hall for the restoration, purchase or lease and management of the McCollum Hall property.

Alexander Goshen + Cornerstone Strategic Partners, LLC, developers of McCollum Hall, have announced the historic building will be adding THIRTY8 Collective that will include a 14,200/sf of commercial retail space at the existing McCollum Hall structure. The retail space will be used as a market/food hall.

The food and market hall that will accompany a 26-unit multi-family community on the adjacent parcels called THIRTY8 Flats, is an homage to 1938, the year McCollum Hall was built.

“As McCollum Hall has officially been added to the National Register of Historic Places, we cannot and would not change the name and we apologize for the miscommunication from our previous announcement,” said said Executive Director, Fort Myers CRA, Michele Hylton-Terry, who has worked to restore McCollum Hall since 2007.

Community members are invited to the hall at 2701 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Fort Myers on November 12, 2022, from 11 AM–6 PM to attend an engagement event to celebrate the new branding and participate in listening sessions to discuss the changes.

“This community engagement event is perfect for hearing from community about their wishes and desires so that THIRTY8 Collective will be something the Dunbar community and the City of Fort Myers is proud of,” said Hylton-Terry. “Their vision aligns well with the desired outcomes of the CRA and the City, with the goal of building a well-designed community activator project that lends itself to the character and fabric being woven by all of the CRA.”

“We want THIRTY8 Collective to be a place for everyone to feel welcome and enjoy,” said Leonard Burke, Managing Partner, Cornerstone Strategic Partners, LLC. “Our top priority is listening to the community and preserving the site’s history.”

The event will engage the Dunbar community around the topic of the McCollum Hall project, giving residents a chance to share thoughts, ideas, and feedback. It will include a kid’s area with bounce houses, face painting, and snow cones; food trucks; local vendors; CPR and first-aid training; and more.

“We envision a collaborative design process, where the CRA, City and other stakeholders can participate and provide input in the selection of material, colors, and other design elements said Miles Alexander III, Developer, Alexander Goshen. “Our approach always includes highest and best use, to maximize market trends and minimize public resources.”

Alexander Goshen + Cornerstone Strategic Partners, LLC, plans include developing a 26-unit multi-family residential building and a 14,200 square feet food and market hall for the City of Fort Myers to enjoy. With multiple failed attempts by other developers to restore the area, Alexander Goshen + Cornerstone Strategic Partners, LLC, are confident they can bring the complex back to its former glory. Additionally, their goal is to establish THIRTY8 Collective to be an integral part of the community. Recently, the Red Cross utilized the site as ground zero to assist people affected by Hurricane Ian.

McCollum Hall was constructed in 1938 by Clifford McCollum, Sr., as a commercial center in the Dunbar area. The second story housed a dance hall whose stage hosted many famous Performers like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, and others throughout the 30s and 40s. It was a center for commerce, music, and entertainment and one of the few places Blacks and whites commingled during segregation. McCollum Hall has officially been added to the National Register of Historic Places. To honor the history of McCollum Hall, Clifford McCollum will be memorialized within the space.

The last two developers were not able to raise funds for the project, so the CRA once again searched for a developer that could bring the project to fruition.

For more information and updates on the development, visit thirty8collective.com.

About the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)
The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency was created in 1984 by the City of Fort Myers, Florida, under Florida Statute Chapter 163, to formulate a plan and strategy for the revitalization of the downtown River District.

The Fort Myers CRA has continued to grow, and redevelopment areas have been added throughout the city. Today, the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency encourages and oversees redevelopment in four designated areas that contain a total of 14 distinct geographic sections within the Fort Myers city limits.

The Fort Myers CRA, along with the City’s Community Development Division, prepares plans for the revitalization of each area and coordinates the implementation of the plan’s recommendations. Tax Increment Funds (TIF) generated by each area, combined with other funding sources, are used to upgrade the public infrastructure and to stimulate redevelopment in the same area where it was generated.

The Fort Myers City Council members, sitting as the Community Redevelopment Agency Board of Commissioners, oversee the Agency’s divisions and their operations. The Fort Myers CRA office is located at 1400 Jackson Street in the Downtown River District.

About Alexander Goshen
Alexander Goshen is a privately owned real estate development company founded in 2016. The firm’s activities have focused on large-scale acquisitions, developments, and redevelopments. The firm’s primary areas of focus have included mixed-use and multifamily projects. We succeeded in aligning ourselves with committed management teams and entrepreneurs to help build businesses of significant value. For more information, visit alexandergoshen.com.

About Cornerstone Strategic Partners
Whether we are building luxury, market-rate apartments, or attainable housing for income-sensitive individuals, our team directs the development process with the same people-first approach that creates an unlimited demand for our product. Cornerstone has an unconventional development approach, allowing our team to uncover value that others overlook. We have the vision to see what’s coming next, plus a unique set of collaborative and creative problem-solving skills that combine to produce one-of-a- kind places to live. The key, then, to realizing this market-quality, one-of-a-kind community – is our execution. For more information, visit cstonesp.com.

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