AI analysis finds McCollum Hall is ripe for revival

Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency is rebooting plans to restore historic McCollum Hall to a modern version of its glory years, between its opening in 1938 and the early 1970s, when a Black arts renaissance swept the U.S. along with civil rights upheaval.  

A 15-page study on McCollum that the CRA generated through an artificial intelligence program examined both the economic feasibility and cultural importance of restoring the old Art Deco music, shopping and entertainment center in the Dunbar community along the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard corridor.  

It found that McCollum is ripe for revival as a modern business and entertainment hub wired for the internet age. It also stated that its developers have an ethical mandate to weave the hall’s history into their plans, such as exhibits that pay homage to the realities of its segregation-era roots.  

“The analysis demonstrates that such a project is not only commercially viable but also represents a profound opportunity for cultural and community revitalization,” reads the AI report “The Hall Revitalization: A Feasibility Analysis for McCollum Hall, Fort Myers, Florida.” 

It highlights McCollum’s role in the Black arts movement, bringing famed jazz and blues musicians to Fort Myers on the Chitlin’ Circuit. Due to its architectural and cultural significance, McCollum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022.  

The latest efforts to bring McCollum back to life come after the CRA and city of Fort Myers earlier this month dropped private development firm Alexander Goshen from the project. Miles Alexander, the firm’s principal, said that he will challenge the decision in court.  

Now the CRA and city are planning to complete the restoration, which has come in starts and stalls, since the CRA acquired the property in 2008.  

The AI report suggested the city work with a private developer like Goshen to help leverage diverse funding sources. But the CRA has already tried and failed several times to work with a private developer.  

CRA spokesperson LaShaun Collier declined to comment on the specifics

of the AI-generated report, noting that the document does not represent any official plans.  

It was generated for purposes of discussion as the CRA moves forward with a series of planned meetings in September and October to officially restart development efforts.  

“The AI-generated report is one such tool: a draft exploration, not a consultant study or official plan,” Collier wrote in an email. “The goal was to help inform (the CRA Board of Commissioners) discussions and provide context on potential opportunities. 

“The final direction of McCollum Hall will be guided by a structured public process, including three community meetings scheduled in September and October. We believe the voices of residents, along with professional expertise, are essential in determining how this historic property can best serve our community in the future.” 

The next CRA Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for Sept. 17 after its meeting on Aug. 27 was canceled.  

This month the CRA also debuted a new website that will provide dates of public workshops and other information related to the restoration. Workshops are currently scheduled for Sept. 16 online at 11:30 a.m., Sept. 30 at the Quality of Life Center at 6 p.m. and Oct. 9 at Mt. Olive A.M.E Church at 6 p.m. 

The AI report offered specific points on how to develop McCollum for maximum commercial and cultural impact.  

Along with a restaurant and co-working space, it suggested building interpretive displays and design elements that offer moments of cultural reflection. One such feature could emphasize the rope line that was once intended to divide races in the Hall’s upstairs room.  

“The history of the rope line offers a sensitive and poignant design element that can confront the past rather than erase it,” the report reads, calling it “a critical detail that must be acknowledged.”  

The development effort also may face challenges such as installing new heating and air conditioning in the old building and meeting the rules and regulations for historic restorations. 

The report outlined the trajectories of analogous revival projects throughout the U.S., including Hippodrome Theater in Richmond, Virginia, and Cook County Hospital in Chicago. It showed how McCollum could reopen in four or five years after several phases of development are complete.