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The City of Fort Myers infrastructure was constructed as much as 100 years ago.
In 2001, the City’s Downtown District was faced with limited growth opportunities
due to their aging utility system and decaying roadway infrastructure.
The challenge at hand: how do you modernize an aging utility system and
streetscape but keep the historic charm that attracts tourism and provides
revitalization for local businesses? The City hired world-renowned architect Andrés
Duany to develop a Master Plan for the Downtown District. The plan provided
the road map for design and construction of Streetscape.
Armed with the Duany Master Plan the City chose to combine utility replacement
with a streetscape improvement. This combined approach satisfied regulatory
requirements and resulted in downtown beautification. In 2003, the City selected DRMP to provide
design and assist with administration of construction services. In 2005, the City
added Kraft Construction to the team as the Construction Manager at Risk. The City,
DRMP and Kraft worked together as a team to implement the Duany Plan.
This team was able to provide quick-acting design solutions for the many
unknown underground utility conflicts and to tailor ADA designs to site-specific
conditions. The ultimate benefits of using this approach
was a $54 million project accomplished nine months ahead of schedule,
$5 million under budget, and with no project claims.
Today, from vision to reality, Streetscape’s visual connectivity has brought back
the charm of old Fort Myers, improved mobility, provided businesses and
residents with modernized utility infrastructure; and most importantly, has
energized the local community.