Downtown

When someone says "downtown" I tend to think of daily grind, hustling of people and cars, crowded streets, busy offices and businesses, and strange people that fit into the landscape of the city.  Over time downtown has become about accessibility, convenience, and getting among people.

Fort Myers has a lot of historic overtones, but there is a coming out in the city as well.  The high rises that dot the area are new and flashy in comparison to the old, historic district.  The historical element is still prominent in the city and the city has worked it well, with old style street lamps, brick pavers on the street, and storefronts that look like they came from the nineteenth century.  

There is a lot of foot traffic in the city.  Everything is within walking distance and it seems easier to get around by walking than to get your car into the traffic.  This is helpful in minimizing the level of traffic, getting people to do business locally, and to get people involved.

Fort Myers also has some features that applauds the days of old.  The fantastic buildings, the old courthouse with the words, "The First Order of Man is Justice", the ancient clock at the end of Monroe Street, The statues of Edison, Ford, and Firestone in the park, the charm of Main Street, and the nostalgia of antique storefronts all add to the time honored aura of historic preservation that is Fort Myers.

Fort Myers is probably more wealthy now than in the days of the original development.  There are more people, more businesses, and wealthy people who reside here part of the year.  In the days of Edison, there were very few people in comparison and with people comes business, with business comes money.  This could cause Fort Myers to become less sustainable if people were to take from the milieu instead of trying to preserve and maintain it.  Part of the benefit of maintaining historic values is that people are less likely to draw more out of their surroundings.