2015: Ring in the New Year Right!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday time with family and friends.  Now it’s time for 2015: Ring in the New Year right!  The annual New Year’s Downtown Countdown will start at 8 pm on December 31st in the historic downtown Fort Myers River District.  Event is free and open to the public; included this year will be five stages of live music: UV (U2 tribute band) headlines on the city stage at Bay & Hendry Streets, Marty Stokes Band located in the Patio de Leon, Cherry Bombs will be at First and Broadway Streets, The Ben Allen Band on Hendry at Cowboy Up, and Redemption located on First & Jackson Streets. Stage start times will be staggered beginning at 8 pm with the main stage beginning at 10 pm. The annual midnight ball drop will be at Bay & Hendry Streets, followed by fireworks!

A New Year and a New Home; now it’s time to look for your new home, check out our Free Home Search site for downtown Fort Myers Waterfront Condos for less than $250k. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at barbara@topagent.com and/or (239) 489-4042 x 4564 with any questions regarding event happenings, recommendations on restaurants and/or real estate advice about downtown Fort Myers's River District. I am here to serve you. 

Please be sure to visit TopAgent's Blog by Brett Ellis; this week he has very interesting information about our real estate market.  The River District's website also has the latestest on all future fun events for 2015. Music Walk is held 3rd Friday of every month; next Music Walk will be on January 16th starting @7pm. Art Walk is held 1st Friday of every month next Art Walk will be held January 2nd starting @6pm. 

River District Farmer's Market and Gardner's Park the Garden Art District

Tomorrow and Every Thursday year-round under the Caloosahatchee Bridge downtown Fort Myers ' River District Farmers' Market takes place. This lively green market offers a variety of local produce, seafood, nuts, flowers, plants & more for the discerning shopper.

The River District Farmers' Market is open every Thursday between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Centennial Park parking lot, under the U.S. 41 Caloosahatchee Bridge (at the corner of Heitman and West First streets, just west of the U.S. Post Office).  A fixture of the downtown Fort Myers River District since 1994, the Market is popular with both tourists in season and locals during the summer months.  Be sure to stop by soon for a fun and rewarding experience! 

Also, please visit the new shopping and art galleries in downtown Fort Myers' River District Gardner's Park (the Garden Art District).  The following is information taken from their website:

"Gardner's is nestled in the center of Downtown Fort Myers.  Original settlers of our beautiful city found this area appealing for many wonderful reasons. It is now home to some of the area's most amazing venues. 

We celebrate our history and accomplishments of the second Mayor of Fort Myers Rev. William P. Gardner and Family. Arriving to Fort Myers in 1885, the Gardner Family purchased twenty-four acres in the heart of the City of Fort Myers.  Some of the only 332 residents,  they engaged in fruit growing and established the Seminole Canning Company. This became their guava canning factory, canning guavas and making fruit conserves, jellies and marmalades.

The Gardner's provided the finances for the first electric lighting plant. Electric Lights were turned on January, 1898. The following day, January 2nd, William Philbrick Gardner passed away, having lived to see his important local utility plant into successful operation. In 1901, the family put into operation the first ice manufacturing plant.  They called the operation Electric Light & Ice Plant.

Rev. Gardner's  family, R.H. Gardner, Son Albertus Alphonso and Daughter Miranda Melvina went on to change Fort Myers and Southwest Florida for many years to come, including achievements in  combating  fire prevention and water supply. Our merchants reside throughout Gardner's Park of the Downtown Fort Myers River District. We would like to thank the Gardner's and many other influential settlers that made the City of Fort Myers what it is today."

As always feel free to contact me by e-mail at barbara@topagent.com and/or (239) 489-4042 x4564 with any questions regarding event happenings, recommendations on restaurants and/or real estate advice about downtown Fort Myers's River District. I am here to serve you.

Please be sure to visit TopAgent's Blog by Brett Ellis; this week he has very interesting information about our real estate market and remember to visit The River District's website for Holiday Fun Events in December. Music Walk is held 3rd Friday of every month; next Music Walk will be on December 19th starting @7pm. Art Walk is held 1st Friday of every month next Art Walk will be in 2015 (January 2nd). starting @6pm. 
  

 

 

 

Mystery Walk Block Party Comes to Downtown Fort Myers

I am so excited about the Mystery Walk Block Party that is being held tonight in downtown Fort Myers and business owners are thrilled as well. This is thanks to mastermind Rene Miville photographer (owner of Franklin Shops) and downtown organizers. Miville hopes that the Mystery Walk draws huge crowds and helps continue the rejuvenation of downtown Fort Myers. Three major monthly events could do that, he says.

"A third event brings such vitality," he says. "When you have these kind of events, you become an event destination. You become a mini New Orleans."

Please visit The River District's website for Holiday Fun Events in December and emember Music Walk is held 3rd Friday of every month; next Music Walk will be on December 19th starting @7pm. Art Walk is held 1st Friday of every month next Art Walk will be in 2015 (January 2nd). starting @6pm.

As always feel free to contact me by e-mail at barbara@topagent.com and/or (239) 489-4042 x4564 with any questions regarding event happenings, recommendations on restaurants and/or real estate advice about downtown Fort Myers's River District. I am here to serve you.

Please visit TopAgent's Blog by Brett Ellis; this week he talks about Southwest Florida Real; Estate prices rise in October.

Fort Myers Downtown Hotel Gets Green Light

In February of 2014 City leaders were discussing building a new hotel in downtown Fort Myers and now its official--a lavish new hotel is coming to downtown Fort Myers and with it the hope to change an entire city.  City leaders gave the final approval to a new Sheraton Hotel to be built next to Harborside Event Center on Monday, December 1st.  This approval has been almost ten years in the making.  Downtown OASIS article in the Florida Trend  written 3/1/2005 talked about the struggles downtown Fort Myers had been going through for the last 20 years. "The plan involved rezoning property along the water and assembling sites to attract hotels, restaurants and boutiques -- and all-important residential development". Year 2015 is going to be a great year for Downtown Fort Myer's River District's because it will now attract even more restaurants and retailers to come into downtown.

There are still big hopes for Fort Myers Riverfront Redevelopment and I am ecstatic that the City Leaders have approved downtown's Sheraton Hotel.  Those who are interested in buying a condo in downtown Fort Myers should seriously consider doing so in 2015. View listings of Downtown Fort Myers High Rise Condos.  Make sure to check out this week's blog from Brett Ellis where he talks about Is There a Real Estate Bubble?
 Also, remember that Art Walk is held today, December 5th, the 1st Friday of every month starting @6pm. Music Walk is held 3rd Friday of every month; next Music Walk will be on December 19th starting @7pm. AND...don't forget  Family Fun Day and Brunch with Santa, he will be in downtown Fort Myers One Day Only on Sat, December 7th from 10am-2pm.

As always feel free to contact me by e-mail at barbara@topagent.com and/or (239) 489-4042 x4564 with any questions regarding event happenings, recommendations on restaurants and/or real estate advice about downtown Fort Myers's River District. I am here to serve you.