Fort Myers historic site to get new welcome center

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers, open to the public since 1947, is getting a new welcome center. Two Fort Myers firms have been selected to design and build the project.

Architecture Joyce Owens designed the welcome center, which will feature an extended roof canopy to shield visitors from the sun and seasonal rain. Inside, the 7,764-square-foot building will house ticketing and reception, archives and administrative spaces. There will be outdoor public restrooms and covered visitor areas as well, according to a statement. 

Chris-Tel Construction will build the new welcome center. Construction is projected to begin in the coming months and last about a year.

A cost for the project was not immediately available.

The welcome center will be the first new building constructed as part of the Edison and Ford Winter Estates’ master plan, which calls for expansion and enhancement of the site over the next five years. It will preserve the historic winter homes, gardens, museum, laboratory and archives while adding new spaces to support the growth of the cultural destination. Construction of the welcome center will follow expansion of and upgrades to parking facilities to accommodate the site’s growing popularity, according to the statement.

More than 200,000 people annually visit the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and interpreting the legacies of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, who spent their winters at the location along the Caloosahatchee River. The historic site spans more than 20 acres and includes homes, gardens, a museum and the Edison Botanical Research Laboratory. In 2025, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Winter Estates posted nearly $4.95 million in revenue.