HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
A century-old former church in Fort Myers' River District where actors and staff have documented a woman on the stairs, floating orbs near the mezzanine, and doors that move on their own.
1634 Woodford Ave, Fort Myers, FL 33901
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Ticket prices vary by production; see theater website for current schedule
Access
Wheelchair OK
Ground-floor theater entry; historic building with interior stairs to mezzanine level
Equipment
Photos OK
Century-old former church repurposed as a nonprofit experimental theater · Noted by Southwest Florida Historical Society in 2025 regional paranormal survey
The former church building at 1634 Woodford Avenue in Fort Myers' River District has stood for roughly a century. Its original congregation and construction date have not been independently documented in the sources reviewed, but the building's ecclesiastical origins are acknowledged by the theater that now occupies it.
The Laboratory Theater of Florida was founded in 2009 and established itself as a nonprofit dedicated to experimental and ensemble-driven productions. The company began renting the Woodford Avenue church space from the Kiwanis Club in 2011. In 2020, after nearly a decade of operation in the building, the theater purchased the property outright.
In October 2020, the theater invited paranormal investigator Lee Ehrlich to conduct a live virtual ghost investigation of the building, making explicit the overlap between the venue's artistic identity and its haunted reputation. The Southwest Florida Historical Society featured the Laboratory Theater in an October 2025 presentation on regional paranormal activity. The building's roughly 100-year age, combined with its conversion from sacred to secular use, provides the structural context for the ghost lore that has developed since the theater's arrival.
Sources
The Laboratory Theater's ghost tradition is specific to the building's interior geography. The most consistently reported phenomenon is a woman in a white dress observed walking down the main staircase—described by witnesses as moving 'gingerly,' as if taking care. The mezzanine level is the other focal point: glowing orbs have been photographed and observed floating near the upper seating area.
Poltergeist-adjacent activity has also been documented: doors in the building have been seen opening or closing without apparent cause. Staff have described the building's 'energy' shifting perceptibly before performances begin, as if an unseen presence is settling in.
In October 2020, the theater invited Lee Ehrlich, a paranormal investigator operating under the 'Ghost Pro' brand, to conduct a live virtual investigation of the building. The event was streamed publicly, making it one of the more formally documented paranormal investigations at a Fort Myers venue. The Southwest Florida Historical Society's October 2025 presentation on regional paranormal activity included the Laboratory Theater among its featured sites.
Media Appearances
Where this legend is told
The Laboratory Theater stages experimental and dramatic productions in the former church building. The staircase where the female entity has been reported, the mezzanine with orb sightings, and the self-moving doors are all part of the building visitors move through during shows.
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