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CRA approves $77,670 for site work on proposed STEM Cat Center; construction estimate cited at $18 million
Summary
The board approved a motion to provide $77,670 for EDA site‑clearance and permitting work for a proposed three‑story, ~20,000‑square‑foot STEM Cat Center on MLK; proponents said the project estimates construction at about $18,000,000 and aim to start construction in early 2026 after EDA clearance.
The CRA board approved a request to provide $77,670 for site‑work assistance to the I Will Mentorship Foundation for the proposed STEM Cat Center, a three‑story facility the presenter described as roughly 20,000 square feet and sited in front of the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center on MLK.
Melissa Reynolds, COO of I Will Mentorship Foundation, told the board the requested funds are intended to pay for site verification and to secure EDA clearance of on‑site boundaries — a prerequisite, she said, for donors and engineers to finalize development plans. "This funding request is critical for the kick start of the RFI process immediately as advocated by councilman, Fred Brunson," Reynolds said. She said Seagate and Alcatron & Associates have offered discounted design/construction services and that Edison Foundation is backing the project nationally.
Reynolds described the facility's planned uses: workforce labs for welding, robotics and construction, aviation training, phlebotomy and medical labs with five telehealth rooms, a culinary teaching space with a restaurant internship component and a ground-floor coffee shop/bookstore. She said the project's estimated construction cost is about $18,000,000 and that, with EDA clearance, the team plans to begin construction in early 2026.
Board member discussion noted the requested $77,670 was "not a budgeted item" in the current budget line but staff said funding could be moved into the line to cover the request. After a motion to approve and a second, the board approved the request by unanimous voice vote; Vice Chair James Holloway had earlier recused himself from the item. The board asked staff to continue coordination and suggested site visits to view comparable projects.
Why it matters: The approved site‑work funding advances a locally proposed workforce and community resource center that, if built, would expand local training capacity and leverage private and philanthropic partners. The transcript records the $18 million figure as an estimate and the board approved only the site‑work assistance at this meeting.
