Give me all the info you have on this city.

Home to the Edison and Ford houses. Spring training site of the Red Sox.
That's all the info I have.

Its a large retirement community and home to one of the nation's fastest growing international airports. Its also got a couple of highrise projects in the works for downtown.

Fort Myers is actually undergoing tremendous growth and there are many a few high rises going up. There are more than 10 high rises either under construction/proposed/approved. The miami based developer related group has plans for (5) 32 story high rises

downtown or on the beach?

Downtown, I believe. Here's one project ...

www.highpointeplace.com

Tall, but not urban. They could do much better in that spot. They will also not fit in at all with the neighborhood. Maybe it will grow to meet them.

City officials take closer look at Vue

Hearing on controversial condo project set for Wednesday

By ALISON KEPNER
akepner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on September 27, 2004

IF YOU GO
• What: Fort Myers City Council's hearing on The Vue
• When: 5:15 p.m. Wednesday
• Where: Council chambers, 2200 Second St.

A controversial waterfront condominium project that includes a new home for the Edison Sailing School and a land swap with a swath of Centennial Park will come before Fort Myers leaders Wednesday.

Supporters and objectors are expected to fill city council chambers as officials consider The Vue, Throgmartin Co.'s proposed $100 million West First Street project. The first public hearing is at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday. The date for the final hearing will be set then.

The project already has the preliminary support of three council members — Tammy Hall, Mike Flanders and Randy Henderson. Ann Knight is undecided. Veronica Shoemaker could not be reached for comment.

Under the deal, Throgmartin Co. would pay nearly $1.4 million for one acre of riverfront property, where it plans a 27-story residential tower and a five-story office building. The office's first floor would be a 7,500-square foot office and storage facility for the school.

But to have room for the tower, Throgmartin needs a section of the park. In exchange for 16,712 square feet of park, the city would receive 18,804 square feet of the current school parking lot, where Throgmartin plans a public plaza.

FEARING A LOST VIEW

In July, the Fort Myers Planning Board unanimously rejected the tower. Members said it is massive for the space and may block the public's view of the Caloosahatchee River.

Those are the same reasons resident Warren Wright started an online petition against it. He has about 385 names so far.

Wright says the high-rise will cast a shadow over the park.

"Nothing that significant should have such an imposing presence on that green space," Wright said.

"I love the park. I want to protect what's here in Fort Myers ... what's special."

Despite the planning board's vote, the developer took the case to the city council, which considers the board's decision but is not bound by it.

THE PUBLIC'S DEAL

In August, Flanders asked Throgmartin to come back with specifics about included public amenities. An urban plaza and fountain were planned, but Flanders also wanted an interactive children's fountain. And he asked Throgmartin to consider removing ground units to create a wider public area by the river.

The plan company President Ron Throgmartin will bring to the council Wednesday includes millions he is spending to make the considerations — $4.6 million lost on two townhomes scrapped from the plans to widen the riverfront area, $1.3 million for the sailing center, $118,000 for the interactive fountain and $235,000 for new park bathrooms.

The company also is paying for a public river walk, landscaping, relocation and upgrade of park playground equipment and construction of a larger storage facility for the Southwest Florida Museum of History. Plans also now include a waterfront restaurant or shop on the tower's ground floor.

Flanders said he is pleased with the changes. "It looks like some pretty exciting amenities for the park."

Process questioned

Resident Charles Bigelow, a former Lee County commissioner who has joined Wright's fight, believes Flanders and other city officials are too close to the deal. How can leaders who have been involved in negotiating be impartial judges at the hearing, he asks.

"You don't shape the applicant's case," Bigelow said. "If they made the deal, how ... are they going to change their minds?

"The hearing has to be a hearing. It can't be a sham," he said.

Henderson acknowledged Bigelow raises some points, and city leaders are reviewing their policy regarding ex-parte communications in quasi-judicial proceedings.

"We do not have a perfect system in the city of Fort Myers," Henderson said. "I am not naive enough to think that everything we do is perfect."

But, the councilman said, there is no corruption or wrongdoing here. He questions the motivation of Bigelow and Wright, who did not come forward until recently despite the publicity of the project since December.

"I think there are some politics going on here," he said.

Bigelow also opposes the proposed sale price, saying if the city sells its land at lower than its appraised value, leaders will be making the same mistake that city officials made 30 years ago. In the 1973 Gundersen v. City of Fort Myers decision, a judge voided the attempted sale and rezoning of the land Harborside Event Center now sits on partly because the price was too low.

MOTIVATIONS DEBATED

City leaders feel the price and deal are fair. They say the developer is offering the public a good deal.

The two units cut from the plans were reserved — one by Ron Throgmartin's father and the other by a family friend.

"It hurt," Throgmartin said. "Trust me, I did not want to do it."

So why would the developer be willing to make this and other sacrifices?

"We're committed to this community," he said. "We want to be proud of this project."

But Bigelow says elected leaders are being duped if they believe they are the winners in this deal. The plazas and beautification to the front and side of the building enhance The Vue. The public may have access to the facilities, but the paved areas take away from the public's green space, he said.

"This is the cleverest deal I have ever seen," Bigelow said, adding Throgmartin takes amenities the developer already planned and "convinces the city it's the best thing ever."

The company also is one of three vying for an even bigger project — the city's downtown waterfront redevelopment. Fort Myers leaders will choose that developer next month. Throgmartin acknowledged that is a consideration, too.

"We are in hopes the city and council will recognize that we are a credible company with the proper motives," he said.

That is something sailing school executive director Steve Olive said he learned firsthand.

Olive was skeptical of Throgmartin at first. "I called him the carpetbagger," he said.

Now he is organizing supporters to pack city hall.

"They have accommodated us at their expense," he said. "Everything they said they would do they have done."

'SMART' DEVELOPMENT

Wright said he, too, wants to save the sailing school, but not at the expense of the park.

"I'm not against high-rise development," he said. "You just have to be smart about it."

Wright would like to see the city buy Throgmartin's land and extend the park. If that is not possible, he would like to see a cluster of smaller buildings replace the planned tower.

Whether The Vue is approved or not, Throgmartin Co. will build something on its land, company executives said. The area is zoned for a 20-story building.

"This developer is looking for 27 stories," Flanders said. "To me, the issue is not the height of it. To me, the issue is 'Are we getting some nice amenities?'"
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040927/NEWS0106/409270390/1014/BUSINESS

sorry don't have the link

July 15, 2004
Section: National
Page: 1A, 3A

Five, 32-story condos planned
Dick Hogan
Staff
The News-Press Fort Myers

Fort Myers project along river includes public boat
ramp
BY DICK HOGAN dhogan@news-press.com

A Miami developer wants to put five, 32-story towers
with more than a thousand condominiums and a public
boat ramp just east of Billy's Creek in Fort Myers.

With 1,079 dwellings, the project would be the biggest
of all the condo towers built or proposed along the Caloosahatchee River and would be among the highest.

The Related Group of Florida filed recently with the
city to build on 16 acres it has a contract to buy
along the Caloosahatchee River where Fort Myers Yacht,
a longtime boat repair business, is now.

If a ramp is built there it could make it more
feasible for the city to lease or sell its downtown
public ramp, City Councilman Mike Flanders said. But
one boating industry official expressed concerns about
the possible effects of the project on public access.

Flanders said that because Related plans a public boat
ramp and semi-public marina, that could take pressure
off the city to keep the ramp at Centennial Park.
Without a replacement, he said, "I would never get rid
of the downtown ramp."

But Ken Stead, executive director of the Southwest
Florida Marine Industries Association, said he's
concerned that the new ramp's public status could be
"subject to change" and then boaters would be left in
the lurch.

The closest public ramp to Centennial is Lee County's
Fort Myers Shores/Davis, about 10 miles up the river.

Stead also noted that the loss of Fort Myers Yacht, a
major boat yard, "is going to be a severe handicap to
the boaters of Lee County" as repair facilities become
fewer and farther between.

Michael Klinger, project manager for Related, said the
company still has to get "a ton of permits" from state
and federal agencies before the ramp can be built, but
that he's optimistic it can be done.

Related chose the area because of the success of
nearby condominiums such as Beau Rivage, which is just
west of Billy's Creek and is scheduled to be completed
around the end of this year with all its units already
sold.

"We're there partly because the current projects are
selling so well," Klinger said.

Another consideration, he said, was that the city is
planning carefully to handle the growth in the
downtown redevelopment district. "We believe that in
general the city is set for good years ahead."

One advantage the project has over some of its
competitors to the west is that it's actually just
east of the coastal high hazard zone, which runs from
the Edison & Ford Winter Estates to Billy's Creek.

That means it won't be subject to the city's cap on
the overall number of residential units in the
district.

The city currently allows 2,777 units in the zone,
with about 800 built and about 400 approved. But the
city has applications for six projects seeking nearly
2,000 units - more than can legally be developed. As a
result, not all will be approved.

Klinger said he doesn't have a timetable for when his
project will be completed, but said he'd like to start
sales in December.

He declined to give a price range but said the towers
would have many amenities and each would consist of 29
floors of condos over two floors of parking and a
lobby.

City officials take closer look at Vue

Hearing on controversial condo project set for Wednesday
By ALISON KEPNER
akepner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on September 27, 2004

IF YOU GO
• What: Fort Myers City Council's hearing on The Vue
• When: 5:15 p.m. Wednesday
• Where: Council chambers, 2200 Second St.

A controversial waterfront condominium project that includes a new home for the Edison Sailing School and a land swap with a swath of Centennial Park will come before Fort Myers leaders Wednesday.

Supporters and objectors are expected to fill city council chambers as officials consider The Vue, Throgmartin Co.'s proposed $100 million West First Street project. The first public hearing is at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday. The date for the final hearing will be set then.

The project already has the preliminary support of three council members — Tammy Hall, Mike Flanders and Randy Henderson. Ann Knight is undecided. Veronica Shoemaker could not be reached for comment.

Under the deal, Throgmartin Co. would pay nearly $1.4 million for one acre of riverfront property, where it plans a 27-story residential tower and a five-story office building. The office's first floor would be a 7,500-square foot office and storage facility for the school.

But to have room for the tower, Throgmartin needs a section of the park. In exchange for 16,712 square feet of park, the city would receive 18,804 square feet of the current school parking lot, where Throgmartin plans a public plaza.

FEARING A LOST VIEW

In July, the Fort Myers Planning Board unanimously rejected the tower. Members said it is massive for the space and may block the public's view of the Caloosahatchee River.

Those are the same reasons resident Warren Wright started an online petition against it. He has about 385 names so far.

Wright says the high-rise will cast a shadow over the park.

"Nothing that significant should have such an imposing presence on that green space," Wright said.

"I love the park. I want to protect what's here in Fort Myers ... what's special."

Despite the planning board's vote, the developer took the case to the city council, which considers the board's decision but is not bound by it.

THE PUBLIC'S DEAL

In August, Flanders asked Throgmartin to come back with specifics about included public amenities. An urban plaza and fountain were planned, but Flanders also wanted an interactive children's fountain. And he asked Throgmartin to consider removing ground units to create a wider public area by the river.

The plan company President Ron Throgmartin will bring to the council Wednesday includes millions he is spending to make the considerations — $4.6 million lost on two townhomes scrapped from the plans to widen the riverfront area, $1.3 million for the sailing center, $118,000 for the interactive fountain and $235,000 for new park bathrooms.

The company also is paying for a public river walk, landscaping, relocation and upgrade of park playground equipment and construction of a larger storage facility for the Southwest Florida Museum of History. Plans also now include a waterfront restaurant or shop on the tower's ground floor.

Flanders said he is pleased with the changes. "It looks like some pretty exciting amenities for the park."

Process questioned

Resident Charles Bigelow, a former Lee County commissioner who has joined Wright's fight, believes Flanders and other city officials are too close to the deal. How can leaders who have been involved in negotiating be impartial judges at the hearing, he asks.

"You don't shape the applicant's case," Bigelow said. "If they made the deal, how ... are they going to change their minds?

"The hearing has to be a hearing. It can't be a sham," he said.

Henderson acknowledged Bigelow raises some points, and city leaders are reviewing their policy regarding ex-parte communications in quasi-judicial proceedings.

"We do not have a perfect system in the city of Fort Myers," Henderson said. "I am not naive enough to think that everything we do is perfect."

But, the councilman said, there is no corruption or wrongdoing here. He questions the motivation of Bigelow and Wright, who did not come forward until recently despite the publicity of the project since December.

"I think there are some politics going on here," he said.

Bigelow also opposes the proposed sale price, saying if the city sells its land at lower than its appraised value, leaders will be making the same mistake that city officials made 30 years ago. In the 1973 Gundersen v. City of Fort Myers decision, a judge voided the attempted sale and rezoning of the land Harborside Event Center now sits on partly because the price was too low.

MOTIVATIONS DEBATED

City leaders feel the price and deal are fair. They say the developer is offering the public a good deal.

The two units cut from the plans were reserved — one by Ron Throgmartin's father and the other by a family friend.

"It hurt," Throgmartin said. "Trust me, I did not want to do it."

So why would the developer be willing to make this and other sacrifices?

"We're committed to this community," he said. "We want to be proud of this project."

But Bigelow says elected leaders are being duped if they believe they are the winners in this deal. The plazas and beautification to the front and side of the building enhance The Vue. The public may have access to the facilities, but the paved areas take away from the public's green space, he said.

"This is the cleverest deal I have ever seen," Bigelow said, adding Throgmartin takes amenities the developer already planned and "convinces the city it's the best thing ever."

The company also is one of three vying for an even bigger project — the city's downtown waterfront redevelopment. Fort Myers leaders will choose that developer next month. Throgmartin acknowledged that is a consideration, too.

"We are in hopes the city and council will recognize that we are a credible company with the proper motives," he said.

That is something sailing school executive director Steve Olive said he learned firsthand.

Olive was skeptical of Throgmartin at first. "I called him the carpetbagger," he said.

Now he is organizing supporters to pack city hall.

"They have accommodated us at their expense," he said. "Everything they said they would do they have done."

'SMART' DEVELOPMENT

Wright said he, too, wants to save the sailing school, but not at the expense of the park.

"I'm not against high-rise development," he said. "You just have to be smart about it."

Wright would like to see the city buy Throgmartin's land and extend the park. If that is not possible, he would like to see a cluster of smaller buildings replace the planned tower.

Whether The Vue is approved or not, Throgmartin Co. will build something on its land, company executives said. The area is zoned for a 20-story building.

"This developer is looking for 27 stories," Flanders said. "To me, the issue is not the height of it. To me, the issue is 'Are we getting some nice amenities?'"

A few high-rises to the east, Sullivan-Florida Group, which owns Winyah Hotel & Suites and neighboring Centennial Harbour Marina, has submitted plans for twin 25-story towers on nearly 5 acres. The site includes the Winyah, which would be torn down, and some adjoining properties. The $120 million project, which doesn’t have a name yet, will have 288 residential units and 64 hotel rooms.

The towers would include 20 floors of residential units on top of four floors of parking and a floor of retail space. A five-story parking garage with some mixed use development also is planned for across the street.

The Sullivan project is sandwiched between the 32-story High Point Place, scheduled to begin construction later this year, and The Vue, the 27-story project next to Centennial Park that also will include space for the nonprofit Edison Sailing Center.

West First Street
• Developer: Sullivan-Florida Group
• Site details: 4.69 acres around Centennial Harbour Marina, includes Winyah Hotel & Suites and adjoining properties
• Project details: Two 25-story towers with 288 residential units and 64 hotel rooms; five-story parking garage across the street
• Cost: $120 million

igh-rise growth heads north
Wendy Fullerton
Staff
The News-Press Fort Myers

N. Fort Myers site for condos
BY WENDY FULLERTON wfullerton@news-press.com

The high-rise development boom that has blanketed
downtown Fort Myers is moving north across the river.

And real estate industry experts say it may be what
North Fort Myers needs to reenergize its lagging
landscape.

"Finally, after all these years,'' said resident Tim
Berti, 45, whose family has owned property on the
north side of the river for more than 30 years.

"It's been long overdue,'' he said. "Everybody went
south. Now you're seeing a little more development
coming back this way.''

Continental Realty Corp., a private Baltimore-based
developer, plans to build two 12-story condos on
Hancock Creek in North Fort Myers with about 168 units
priced from $400,000 to $600,000. The penthouses are
priced as high as $1 million.

The developer paid $2.3 million for the 12-acre piece
of property tucked between Hancock Bridge Parkway and
the Caloosahatchee River.

Limited waterfront and the downtown building boom are
fueling the push northward.

"The river's the river,'' Lee County planning director
Paul O'Connor said. "It doesn't matter if you're
looking north or south.''

But there won't be towers of concrete like downtown's.
Condos ranging from 22 to 32 stories are planned for
more than 10 tracts of land between the Edison & Ford
Winter Estates and Billy's Creek.

Unlike the city, which is encouraging high-rise
development, Lee County has a building height cap of
35 feet or about three stories. Projects can go higher
provided they increase their setbacks from the
property line. That requires larger pieces of property
to build taller buildings.

Kemp Deming, Continental's vice president of
development in charge of Florida operations, said his
project will improve the image of North Fort Myers -
where the median home value is $91,500 compared to the
county's $112,000 - and where nearly half the aging
housing stock is mobile homes.

"I've specialized in stepchild properties,'' he said.
Deming was involved with developments in Portsmouth,
Va., once considered second-rate to Virginia Beach.

"I believe in them, if you offer the right product at
the right price,'' he said. "It's a convenient
location. We look southwest and to the skyline of Fort
Myers.

"We have the better view.''

It is not the developer's first Southwest Florida
project. Continental recently completed the Colonnade
on Fifth, a conversion of commercial space into a
mixed-use building with high-end condos along Fifth
Avenue South in Naples. It also owns Naples Bath &
Tennis Club as well as a couple of commercial shopping
centers.

Construction on the North Fort Myers project is
expected to begin next year. Plans call for 168 units,
ranging in size from 1,800 to 2,100 square feet, as
well as 4,400-square-foot penthouses. Prices range
from $399,000 to $600,000. The penthouses likely will
run in the million-dollar range, Deming said.

That would be a first for North Fort Myers, where
waterfront condos have historically been priced lower
than Fort Myers waterfront condos. But the area is
reaping the benefits of the south shore boom.

For example, a condo at North Shore Place, the tallest
with 11 stories, now sells for about $285,000. Just
three years ago, it was struggling at $115,000.

Real estate appraiser Mike Maxwell said the spillover
was bound to happen.

"The downtown Fort Myers area is nearly out of
inventory. Prices are skyrocketing,'' he said.
"They're going to have arguably a superior view;
they'll be looking back at the city lights.

"It will be quite a view.''

MAP NOT AVAILABLE

Twin 32-story condo towers proposed for downtown riverfront

By SUE LAPPONESE, slapponese@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on May 9, 2004

Miami-based BAP Development, in association with NewLeaf, plans to develop The Cypress Club, a waterfront condominium, at 2589 First St. in downtown Fort Myers. The 3.2-acre site, valued at more than $12 million, was acquired in January. Two 32-story towers will have 292 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences and two-story live/work lofts ranging in size from 1,000 to 2,400 square feet.

The towers will have direct views of the Caloosahatchee River. According to Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., the Miami-based architecture and town planning firm responsible for the revitalization plan for downtown Fort Myers, The Cypress Club will become the eastern anchor along First Street. He said the buildings have a thin design to maximize views, with curving balconies to add a light, airy character.

Don Paight, executive director for the Downtown Redevelopment Agency, said The Cypress Club will be a significant project in size and quality of design, will enhance the waterfront experience and should help downtown shops and services. The Club will house a waterfront promenade, pier, a heated pool, Jacuzzi, fitness center and spa, a billiards room, theater and a garden area. Residence features are terraces, kitchens with granite countertops and Italian cabinetry, and freestanding glass shower enclosures in bathrooms. Penthouses will have private pools. Prices will range from approximately $275,000 to $1.5 million.

Sales are projected to commence in the fall of 2004.

Well it certainly looks like Fort Myers is on the verge of being the next Florida city to develop a skyline overnight. Maybe its time find some renderings of these proposed projects.

Riverfront plans rise

Two more high-rise projects proposed along the Caloosahatchee River


Published by news-press.com on May 21, 2004





Developers have submitted plans for two new projects along the Caloosahatchee River — one at 31 stories, the other with twin 25-story towers.


They are the latest of 10 tracts where high-rise condos or condo hotels are planned or under construction between the Edison & Ford Winter Estates and Billy’s Creek.


Not bad for a city whose downtown had been dormant for nearly two decades.


“This is a really exciting time,’’ Councilwoman Tammy Hall said. “Downtown’s waited 15 years to have some action.


“Who would have thought all this renaissance would be occurring at the same time?’’


Then again, why not, when it’s the core city of one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation? The area added 51,322 people between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2003, placing it in the top 1 percent of the country’s 3,141 counties.


Developers are rediscovering what has always been there, city planner Elly McKuen said. “Fortunately, they’re finding us again.’’





• First River Condominiums, a 31-story high-rise condo planned for the 5 acres currently home to the Holiday Inn Riverwalk Hotel & Marina on West First Street.


The property is under contract to sell to BSR Group, an international developer with projects in Europe and Africa.


Plans for the $210 million project call for 29 stories of living space on top of a two-story parking lot. There are also plans for 8,000 square feet of retail space and a 2,800-square-foot restaurant.


Hotel owner Jim Field said there are no plans to close the hotel until the deal is approved. That could be late this year or next year, he said.


• A few high-rises to the east, Sullivan-Florida Group, which owns Winyah Hotel & Suites and neighboring Centennial Harbour Marina, has submitted plans for twin 25-story towers on nearly 5 acres. The site includes the Winyah, which would be torn down, and some adjoining properties. The $120 million project, which doesn’t have a name yet, will have 288 residential units and 64 hotel rooms.


The towers would include 20 floors of residential units on top of four floors of parking and a floor of retail space. A five-story parking garage with some mixed use development also is planned for across the street.


The Sullivan project is sandwiched between the 32-story High Point Place, scheduled to begin construction later this year, and The Vue, the 27-story project next to Centennial Park that also will include space for the nonprofit Edison Sailing Center.


At the east end of town, high-rise projects include Beau Rivage, the 22-story residential tower currently under construction, and Hotel Monaco, a 27-story condo hotel with construction scheduled to begin later this year.


David Crawford, a planner with the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, said the city’s creating another pod of waterfront high-rises along with the Fort Myers Beach south end, inside the Bonita Bay and Pelican Landing developments, and soon, southwest Cape Coral.



“The more expensive the land the more efficient you build straight up,’’ Crawford said. “The ability to put buildings on the water are getting less and less.’’


Crawford said all the tall buildings act as a double-edged sword — increasing the city tax base but placing more development in the path of potential hurricanes.


But, “Real estate is location, location, location,’’ he said.


Don Paight, executive director of the Downtown Redevelopment Agency, acknowledged the proposals are far from the 18-story cap recommended in the downtown redevelopment plan prepared by renowned urban designer Andres Duany.


“We’ve blown that right out of the water,’’ he said.


Paight said developers need to go up to accommodate the number of units needed to make the projects succeed financially.


Besides, “It’ll give us the units we need,’’ he said.


Commercial real estate experts suggest the city would need at least 3,000 units within a 1-mile radius to effectively market to retailers. With these projects, it is close.


“With good design, the additional height is not going to be that big of an issue,’’ Paight said.


Tom Ross, owner of Magic Print Copy Center, a West First Street business for more than 20 years, said he welcomes new customers but he will miss the scenery.


“We’ve got a great view of the river right now. We won’t have that when it comes.’’


PROJECT INFORMATION
West First Street
• Developer: Sullivan-Florida Group
• Site details: 4.69 acres around Centennial Harbour Marina, includes Winyah Hotel & Suites and adjoining properties
• Project details: Two 25-story towers with 288 residential units and 64 hotel rooms; five-story parking garage across the street
• Cost: $120 million

First River Condos
• Developer: Fort Myers Development LLC under contract to sell to BSR Group, an international developer
• Site details: 5-acre property currently houses Holiday Inn Riverwalk and 49-slip marina
• Project details: 31-story high rise with 503 residential units; 8,000 square feet of retail space and a 2,800-square foot restaurant
• Cost: $210 million


http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:VP-arPW0QzYJ:www.thenewspress.com/news/business/040521downtown.html++Winyah+Sullivan-Florida+Group&hl=en

http://www.thenewspress.com/news/business/040521downtown.html

80 New High-Rises for Downtown

Ft. Myers could become the next Hong Kong

Allright :jk: I thought things were beginning to get out-of-hand. :)

I lived there from 89 to 96. It has got to be the "MOST BORING PLACE ON EARTH".

Maybe it has changed since I left,but it is very much geared towards the elderly. They are in power and aren't going to be out of power anytime soon.

It's a pretty place, just nothing to do!!

My experience is the same, very boring . . .

Council hears views on The Vue

Sides tout pros, cons of condo project

By Alison Kepner
akepner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on September 30, 2004

The future view of downtown Fort Myers likely will include The Vue.
At least 100 people packed council chambers Wednesday night for the Fort Myers City Council’s first public hearing on the controversial waterfront condominium project. A vote is expected at the final hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 12, but all five council members expressed support for the project Wednesday.

Developer Ron Throgmartin’s proposal includes a new home for the Edison Sailing School and a land swap with a swath of Centennial Park. Those aspects of the $100 million West First Street project seem to be what garnered the most support and opposition respectively.

Under the proposed deal, Throgmartin Co. would pay nearly $1.4 million for one acre of riverfront property, where it plans a 27-story residential tower and a five-story office building. The tower’s first floor would be a 7,500-square foot office and storage facility for the school.

But the project requires a section of the park. In exchange for 16,712 square feet of park, the city would receive 18,804 square feet of the current school parking lot, where Throgmartin plans a public plaza.

Supporters donning blue T-shirts reading “Save the Sailing School,” “The Vue Belongs in Fort Myers,” and “Do the Deal” filled council chambers Wednesday.

Sailor Amanda Holmes told council members the center’s current facilities are a disgrace.

“Basically it looks like a shack,” she said. “My friends don’t want to go there.”

Opponents such as city resident Warren Wright said they, too, support the sailing school — but not at the expense of making such a deal with the developer. He agrees with the city’s Planning Board, which unanimously rejected the tower in July, saying it is massive for the space and will block the public’s view of the Caloosahatchee River.

“Why when there is so much underutilized and underdeveloped waterfront property, is the city so quick to turn over part of the park?” Wright asked.

City resident Virginia Splitt worries most about the tower’s size.
“It’s the wrong place for a really neat project,” she said. “It’s 10 pounds of potatoes in a five-pound sack.”

Kerry Steeno, Throgmartin Co.’s vice president of development and construction, told the council this design gives the public more access and a better view than if the developer built a L-shaped 20-story building, which the land’s current zoning allows.

Under this proposal, he said, the company is offering the city more than $3 million in public amenities including: the sailing center, a city maintenance building and storage facility, new park bathrooms, upgraded playground equipment, a riverfront plaza as well as urban pedestrian plaza and an interactive children’s fountain.

All of these features give the public more than the 2,000 square feet the city legally is gaining from the land swap, Steeno said. “You’re really gaining 18,000 square feet of public access.”

Some opponents questioned whether the condominium’s residents will like living next to the park, which they said could be noisy during special events. They worry Vue residents eventually will pressure city leaders to limit public use of the park.

But two supporters who spoke to the council said they hope to move to The Vue and welcome the park as a neighbor.

South Fort Myers resident Linda Brown wants to retire to downtown Fort Myers.

“We really look forward to living in a vibrant downtown Fort Myers,” she said. “We look forward to The Vue being the center of a vibrant downtown Fort Myers.”

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040930/NEWS0106/40930004/1008

Didn't realize Ft. Myers had so much activity.

I wonder how tall the tallest building in DT Ft. Myers is now. All of this does sound like a "microwaved" skyline.

The tallest now is the (Sheraton ?) hotel at 25st, and even it is being reclad as a mixed-use tower, last I heard.

City council approves plans for The Vue

By alison kepner
akepner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on October 1, 2004

IF YOU GO
• What: Council's final hearing on The Vue developer agreement
• When: 5:15 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12
• Where: Council chambers, 2200 Second St.

Fort Myers' skyline soon will include a new Vue.

During an almost seven-hour public hearing Wednesday night, the Fort Myers City Council approved planned unit developments for The Vue and the neighboring Edison Sailing School. A final hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 12, remains for the developer agreement, which includes many of the amenities the developer is offering the city.

After a year of negotiations, compromises and redesigns, developer Ron Throgmartin is anticipating a mid-January start date for the condominium.

Throgmartin Co.'s plan incorporates a new home for the nonprofit sailing school and a land swap with a section of Centennial Park. Under the deal, Throgmartin pays nearly $1.4 million for 1 acre of riverfront property, where it will build a 27-story residential tower and a five-story office building. The tower's first floor will be a 7,500-square-foot office and storage facility for the sailing school.

To have room for the offices, the company needs part of the park, where a paved access road is now. In exchange for the 16,712 square feet of park, the city will receive 18,804 square feet of the current sailing school parking lot, where the developer will build a public plaza.

Throgmartin will pay for a laundry list of public amenities, including a riverwalk, a city maintenance and storage building, new park bathrooms, upgraded playground equipment and an interactive children's fountain. Those features added to the $1.3 million sailing school site will cost the developer more than $3 million.

Sailing school members and other supporters filled council chambers Wednesday to advocate the deal. But the project also had opposition from some residents and the city's Planning Board, which unanimously rejected the tower in July, saying it is too massive for the space.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041001/NEWS0106/410010414/1075

http://www.sttropez.apartmentsvr.com/

Thanks for all the info guys!

http://vh10018.v1.moc.gbahn.net/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A4&Date=20041026&Category=NEWS0106&ArtNo=410260471&Ref=AR&Profile=1075&MaxW=400&MaxH=400&title=1
City chooses WCI vision for waterfront

Council will open talks

By ALISON KEPNER
akepner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on October 26, 2004


Within five years, Fort Myers' waterfront could be transformed into a busy downtown hub with riverside restaurants and upscale shops serving residents, visitors and guests of a new hotel.

A concert hall, expanded marina and open market may follow, but not in the picture is Exhibition Hall or the public boat ramp — at least at its current location.

That is the vision proposed in the redevelopment plan favored by city council members Monday when they voted 3-2 to begin negotiations with WCI Communities Inc.

The company was one of three firms vying to redevelop a 5.6-acre, city-owned site on the south side of the Caloosahatchee River. The area includes the Harborside Event Center parking lot, Exhibition Hall, the public boat ramp and parking lot and City Pier.

In a daylong meeting Monday, a 12-member selection committee

ranked WCI above Antaramian Development Corp. and Throgmartin Waterfront Group.

But the deal is far from done.

Four council votes are needed to sell city-owned land, so WCI officials must get the backing of dissenting members Mike Flanders or Ann Knight to approve a contract, which city staff members hope to bring to council by the end of the year.

Councilwoman Tammy Hall's resignation, effective Nov. 1, is another factor. If a new council member is appointed at the Monday, Nov. 1 council meeting, that person could change the vote. Or if council members fail to agree on an appointment — as they did on Oct. 18 — the developer will need Flanders and Knight's support.

Marco Ruiz, WCI's vice president and senior project manager, said his staff will re-examine its design to answer some of the council's concerns, such as adding more public open space.

WCI officials also promised to restore existing Centennial Park with various improvements.

"We can't leave it alone," Ruiz said. "We are pledging to bring a new life to the area, and we have to pledge to do it all."

Flanders said more public space could change his vote.

"To take a prime public piece of land on the water and not offer some special public places is not acceptable," he said. "The challenge is on them."

But Knight said she wants to see Exhibition Hall saved to get her vote. She and Flanders criticized WCI's proposed demolition of the historic building.

Ruiz said his team members could not find a viable way to incorporate it. Instead, they want to commemorate the hall's historic events with plaques. Arches and other design elements of the buildings also will pay tribute to it, he said.

WCI's plan earned the support of Councilman Randy Henderson and Councilwoman Veronica Shoemaker, partly because of its inclusion of a hotel that would serve Harborside Event Center guests.

"We learned that the lifeblood of a city is conventions," Shoemaker said.

Flanders preferred Antaramian's plan, which proposed higher towers at 18 stories but more view corridors from the street. It also suggested transforming Exhibition Hall into an open market.

Knight and Hall ranked Throgmartin first. That plan, which proposed expanding Centennial Park with the city maintaining ownership of waterfront land, suggested a smaller retail and residential development on the Harborside parking lot site.

"What are our long-term plans for Centennial Park?" Knight asked the council. "Is it to increase it whenever we can? Let's look at the long-term."

But some selection committee members criticized the Throgmartin plan for not having enough development. The aim of the redevelopment is to bring more activity downtown, and a vibrant retail core on the waterfront is needed, they argued.

The WCI plan suggests the most residential units and greatest amount of retail space of the three proposals. It includes two structures with residential and retail units wrapping parking garages, further disguised by rooftop pools, and three condominium and hotel towers. About 252 residential units and 250 condominium/hotel units are planned.

Construction is slated for early 2009 completion.

The structures are 10 to 12 stories except the corner of one building that reaches 16 stories.

WCI wants to capitalize on the waterfront with an expanded marina with about 50 more slips and a renovated City Pier. A ground-floor ship store with a restaurant above is one option.

What will happen to the public boat ramp is unclear. All the proposals suggested the ramp be relocated or privatized, but none had a clear plan of where a new public ramp could go.

A move west toward Centennial Park is one option, but WCI officials will work with the city to find the best location, Ruiz said, adding that the company will not remove it until a new location is found.

WCI's submitted plan did not include a financial proposal. The city did not ask for the information because Monday's decision was supposed to be design-based.

Ruiz said after the meeting that WCI is willing to pay at least the appraised value of the land and will negotiate with the city about how much should be bought or leased.

He looks forward to coming back to the council will a contract that will please all members.

"We're going to work with them," Ruiz said.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041026/NEWS0106/410260471/1075

Picked up a copy of Gulfshore Business and there are 27, by my count, high-rises u/c, approved or planned for downtown Ft. Myers, including TWELVE 32 STORY TOWERS, eveidently the maximum allowable height.

can you post all the projects or scan the article?
`

Don't have a scanner. Maybe this will do for now...

Five 32 story towers by Related - approved

Two 32 story (and three smaller towers) by Cameratta, soon to be u/c
www.highpointeplace.com

Two 32 story towers by related - approved

Three 32 story towers by B.S.R. - pending approval

27 story mixed-use by Throgmartin - u/c soon
www.TheVue.info

Two 27 story towers by Homes for America - pending approval
www.sttropez.apartmentsvr.com

27 story mixed-use by Homes for america - pending approval

Two 25 story towers by Sullivan Florida - pending aproval

Redevelop 24 story Ramada into mixed-use by Gates McVey - u/c ?

22 story Beau Rivage - nearing completion
www.thebeaurivage.com

for starters