The 90-year-old, 185-foot water tower behind the IMAG History and Science Center on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard could be demolished by the end of the year if Fort Myers City Council approves the plan March 2.
Council members will vote on amending a five-year contract with Utilities Service Co. Inc. to add $494,746 for demolition of the tower. Council directed staff to move forward with removing the structure during an Oct. 13 workshop.
The demolition would temporarily affect IMAG operations. The museum plans to close for a week while the tower is removed, and demolition is scheduled to take place between Oct. 1 and Dec. 18.
A 2020 report by engineering firm Black & Veatch found the tank did not meet building codes and recommended either upgrading or demolishing the structure. The tank, which holds up to 200,000 gallons of water, is no longer in use. A tank on Treeline Avenue that opened in 2023, along with a facility on Winkler Avenue, meets the city’s needs, Assistant Director of Public Works Utilities Jason Sciandra told Council in October.
Preserving the tower as a historic structure would cost about $8.4 million to strengthen its bracing and columns and bring it up to code. The city’s Historic Preservation Commission said in November the tower does not have a historic designation.
“We can’t just keep kicking the can down the road. We can do the annual repairs, annual upkeep to it, but we’re really not improving that overall structural reliability,” Sciandra said. “Essentially, the tower doesn’t serve a function.”
The IMAG History and Science Center on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard would temporarily close for about a week during demolition of the nearby water tower. The museum has worked with the city to minimize operational impacts.
Sheldon Zoldan
IMAG Executive Director Matthew Johnson said the organization accepts that the tower likely will be removed and has worked with the city to minimize impacts.
“We’re losing an iconic marketing piece, being the place underneath the water tower,” he said.
IMAG plans to install two digital signs along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, one on each side of the road, Johnson said. The city also will help reimburse IMAG for lost revenue during the weekday closure.
The museum plans to use the remaining 20 feet of the tower’s legs to create a covered pavilion.
The demolition process is expected to draw public attention. Utilities Service said removal should take about two days, although weather conditions, particularly wind, could extend the timeline.
According to the contract, the company will place fire blankets on nearby rooftops and may operate up to 12 sprinklers simultaneously, potentially for 12 hours a day over two days, to prevent sparks from damaging adjacent buildings.
The tower removal is part of the city’s $4.15 million, five-year contract with Utilities Service. The remaining funds will be used to renovate the interior and exterior of two other water tanks and the Winkler emergency station.