Ft. Myers Development News

[smiley]

I don't feel like pasting it all here - with pictures, but this is an article on the new terminal at the airport in Ft. Myers:

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs....501110427/1002

[renner01]

gOOD RUNDOWN FROM BROKER SITE
http://www.investinwaterfront.com/

Fort Myers new Skyline



What Where When by Whom



There are eleven waterfront high rise projects planned along the river in Fort Myers that will bring a total of 3275 condos to market by 2007.



A quick project summary for you: These are listed from east to west along the south side of the river, starting at the current Holiday Inn:



1. First River Condominiums These will be built on the site of the existing Holiday Inn Riverwalk. Three towers are planned for a total of 430 homes. No dates set yet. Developer is BSR Group. ( not local)
2. High Point Place. Four towers, 32 stories, 272 homes. Complete in 2006. It is now under construction Developer is Camerata Group (not local)
3. Legacy Harbour. 288 Condos in two 25 story towers. Will also have 64 hotel rooms. This will be built on the site of the Winyah hotel. No dates set yet. Developer is The Sullivan Group (local)
4. The Vue. Being built by the Throgmartin Group (local), this will be 189 condos in 25 stories nestles into a small site along centennial park downtown. 2007 completion. A high class product being build by high class people, This project is a personal favorite of mine, but is a very big project on a very small space.
5. Hotel Monaco. 300 hotel rooms (for sale) in 27 stories. Being built by Homes for America that brought us Beau Rivage. (not local) Complete in 2007
6. The Cypress Club. 292 homes in two 32 story towers. This developer will bring some architectural style to the riverfront.. Completion of first tower mid 2007. Developed by BAP ( not local)
7. Leeward Riverside Club. 94 homes on 18 floors. On the site of the Ta-Ki-Ki and Tides motel. Developed by DevPro ( local)
8. St. Tropez. 150 homes in 25 stories. By same builder as Beau Rivage, Now under construction.
9. St. Raphael. Sister building to St. Tropez. Will start mid 2005. 150 homes in 25 stories.
10. Beau Rivage. Completed and sold out – 124 condos in 22 stories, Built by Homes for America.
11. Alta Mar. This project is adjacent to Beau Rivage, built by Tarragon (not local) and will be complete this coming Spring. 131 condos in 7 stories.
12. The Yacht Club. This project has just been re-announced as OASIS. Slated for 1079 condos in four towers. ( Yes, we did write them a letter this week, letting them know we already have an OASIS in town. – no response yet.) This is the Related Group – not local.



I know of two more projects across the river. Mine (Palm Point – 96 units on 8 ½ acres, and another by Kemp Demming near the Best Western- I do not have much info on that one yet.

[Jasonhouse]

Jesus... We are just beginning to see the fringes of the baby boomers retiring, and look at the highrise growth exploding in Florida.

[Dale]

renner, do you know where the long-planned project (by Gates-McVey) stands to renovate the Ramada Suites tower ?

And thanks for your work.

[smiley]

Fort Myers denies waterfront motion

Leaders want council to consider Duany's input

By ALISON KEPNER
akepner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on January 19, 2005





A Fort Myers councilman's motion for the city's downtown planner to review its waterfront redevelopment plan was denied Tuesday, with three council members saying they want to wait to decide.

Council members Randy Henderson, Veronica Shoemaker and Frankie Jennings voted against Mike Flanders' request with Ann Knight in support. They are expected to discuss it again at the Feb. 7 meeting, when Mayor Jim Humphrey will be present. He was out of town Tuesday.

City leaders were supposed to have urban planner Andres Duany's reviews in hand before choosing a project, but in October, they voted 3-2 to begin negotiations with WCI Communities Inc. anyway.

In the city's request for proposals released last summer, leaders told developers the city would schedule teleconferences with Duany's firm to review the projects before choosing. The developers were to pay for the cost.

When staff members were not able to set up the reviews before the October meeting, city leaders moved ahead anyway. But Flanders said he still wants the renowned architect's input.

The project is to redevelop a 5.6-acre, city-owned site on the south side of the Caloosahatchee River. It includes the Harborside Event Center parking lot, Exhibition Hall, the public boat ramp and parking lot and city pier.

Flanders, who voted against the WCI plan, said he just is asking for the information leaders should have had months ago.

But Humphrey, a WCI supporter, chastised the councilman, accusing him in a Monday memorandum of trying to "circumvent the decision of a majority of the city council" and "manipulate the process."

In his letter, the mayor asked the council to postpone a decision until he is present.

Flanders denied the mayor's accusations, saying he is not trying to break off negotiations with WCI in favor of his top pick, the second-ranked Antaramian Development Corporation. He wants Duany's input to aid the city in its talks with WCI, he said. "That information is extremely valuable. It's something this council should have.

"Let's go forward with WCI. I'm not about to change the ranking process," he said. "It's a part of the (request process) that we never fulfilled.

"This is genuinely the most useful information we can have. Let's use this information to the best we can," Flanders said.

WCI spokesman Ken Plonski said his company is continuing to revamp its proposal. WCI officials are not releasing what changes have been made so far because it is an ongoing process, he said.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs....501190467/1008

[smiley]

For a little rerun of some pics - notice how not urban these projects are. (there are a couple more I could not get pictures for in this short time period. I'll work on it.

Oasis:


Riva del Lago


The Vue - I like this best, methinks


Alta Mar

[Jasonhouse]

Of the ones I've seen, I definitely liked the siting of the Vue the best.

[MIAballinboi]

in this months ocean drive they got ads for jasmine bay, now i really dont know where this is, 2 19 story towers it says its "a mile west of US 41 on williams road in Estero"
now where the heck is this, it says its the west coast of florida

when this happens u know florida is BOOMING, 2 19 story towers in some city u never heard of on the coast, only in florida lool

[Jasonhouse]

Estero is south of Ft Myers, towards Naples. (maybe like 1/3 the way there?)

I used to go there very frequently for the first years I lived in Florida, as my mom's best friend lived there. It was quite sparse back then, even along the beach in places.

[renner01]

LOOKS LIKE THE VUE AND THE SAILING SCHOOL WILL BE STARTING LATE 2004
Bid Date: Est. Start Date:
Third Quarter 2005 Fourth Quarter 2005

Description:
New construction and site work for a new residential complex in Fort Meyers. Working plans are calling for a 27-story building to house 189 one-, two-, and three-bedroom condominiums above six floors of parking.

Construction is expected to commence late 2005. Interested parties should direct inquiries to the design/ builder.

Bid Date: Est. Start Date:
Third Quarter 2005 Fourth Quarter 2005

Description:
New construction and site work for a new mixed-use facility in Fort Myers. Working plans are calling for a five-story, 50,000-square-foot building to house one floor of parking, classrooms, administrative offices and storage for a sailing school. The project will also include 3,000 square feet of retail space.

Construction is expected to commence late 2005. Interested parties should direct inquiries to the design/ builder.

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.
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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?'"

Back to Growth/Development

[Dale]

Late 2005 ?! Seems like this project is taking an inordinately long time.

[Jasonhouse]

Ft Myers has plenty of time.

[MIAballinboi]

woow the oasis

[renner01]

all of the fuss over an eagle

January 22, 2005
Section: Bonita Extra
Page: 1A, 2A

Signature sets second eagle meeting
Developer wants to build condo tower near birds' nest
Andrea Stetson
Freelance

By Andrea Stetson
Special to the News-Press

Cocohatchee Bay's developers will try once again to tell neighbors about its plans to build a condominium 35 feet away from a bald eagle's nest near Wiggins Pass.

This second meeting on Wednesday comes after the county determined the developer did not inform all its neighbors about a December town hall meeting on this plan.

County rules state that everyone living within 500 feet of the planned development had to be mailed information about the meeting. But residents in several neighboring communities were not informed. So it's round two as the developer sets out to make sure everyone knows about its plans.

Signature Properties, the developers of the 600 acres just north of Wiggins Pass, want to amend their eagle management plan. Signature officials say the amendment is simply a formality to make their plan the same as the federal government's.

Earlier this year the Army Corps of Engineers gave Signature an incidental take permit allowing them to build adjacent to the eagles' nest. Next, it will be up to Collier County commissioners to decide whether to abide by that federal plan or go with their own policy.

Signature's experts agree that the eagles probably won't remain in their nest once construction of one of its condos closest to the nest gets under way.

But they say they plan to build an artificial tree on their property in hopes the eagles will move there.

Signature's plans include 590 units in five buildings that range from 15 stories to 20 stories. The company would begin with a building farthest from the eagles and work their way closer to the birds with each building.

Don Corace, developer of the property, said the second meeting will be the same as the one in December. He will have no new information for the audience.

He only wants to make sure everyone in his neighborhood gets a chance to listen to his plans and voice any concerns.

"The county gave us the wrong list when they gave it out," Corace said about not sending letters to all his neighbors. "We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to attend the meeting. We want it done right."

Corace said his company will take all comments into consideration before making his presentations to commissioners.

"We look forward to people's comments," he said. "There were some concerns about the eagle. We take everything into consideration."

Doug Fee, president of the North Bay Civic Association, was the first to tell the county that not enough people were notified about the first meeting, prompting this new town hall.

"There were several communities that when I analyzed the list these people were not sent letters," Fee said.

"I believe that is a very valid, vital notice procedure. Now you've got an opportunity to know what's going to happen with this rezone. It's a second chance for those who may not have known. Now they can go and listen to it."

Lisa Koehler, Collier County public information coordinator, said the second meeting will allow the county and the developer to make sure no one was left out of hearing about this project.

"I think we suggested it and everyone in agreement," Koehler said.

Koehler said town hall meetings are very important for the community and for commissioners.

"The commissioners were very concerned about the public being brought in very early on," she said.

"They were concerned that for many people the first time they heard about it was at a commission meeting or a planning meeting, and their feeling was by then it was a done deal. This works well. Developers work with the neighborhood and if there are concerns they can handle them up front. It's a win-win situation."

But it might not be win-win in this case. During the last town hall meeting in December an angry crowd was upset that the developer planned to ask the county to allow it to build so close to the eagles' nest and most likely chase the eagle away.

"How can you come before the commission and ask them to build near a nest at all?" Rebecca Noles of North Naples questioned during the last hearing. "There are eagles sitting on eggs in that nest."

-Andrea Stetson is a Bonita Springs-based free-lance writer. Contact her at agstetson@msn.com or leave a message at 992-1345.
http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/...p_product=FMNB

[renner01]

Work finds home in condos

Cypress Club units available for offices
By DICK HOGAN
dhogan@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on January 23, 2005

The Cypress Club, one of the condominiums being built in downtown Fort Myes, offers 14 units where people can live and work in the same place. Renderings special to news-press.com

It's part of the big-city lifestyle: the opportunity to live and work in the same place, close by your customers. The Cypress Club, one of the waterfront condominiums being built in downtown Fort Myers, is offering 14 units designed to do just that.

Brad Cozza, a real estate agent with Keller Williams World Class Realtors, expects to do that when he moves into the unit he has reserved when Cypress Club opens in the summer of 2007.

"This is going to be where I'm putting my real estate office," said Cozza, who already is doing a lot of work downtown although his office is not there now. "It's right in the center of where I want to be."

The units are set up on the first and second floors so someone could both live and work there, and that was Cozza's original idea. But, he said, "To tell you the truth, I needed more space" to bring in his eight-person team in Keller Williams.

He also is buying a separate Cypress Club unit to live in, Cozza said.

Brian Fenster, a principal in NewLeaf — which is developing the project in partnership with BAP Development — said the first seven of the 918-square-foot units in Phase 1 are already reserved for prices from the $300,000s to the $400,000s. Another seven will be sold in the second phase, which is a mirror image of Phase 1.

"When we first started working on the Cypress Club, we wanted it to be something that not only the city of Fort Myers would appreciate but that Duany would appreciate," Fenster said, referring to Andres Duany, the Miami architect hired by the city to do a redevelopment plan for downtown. Duany is a proponent of the new urbanism movement, which stresses the importance of creating communities where people can live, work and play within walking distance.

The living/working units will help accomplish that, Fenster said. "This enlivens the street, puts some activity and life out there, and it's less than a 10-minute walk from First and Hendry streets," the heart of downtown, he said.

Dominik Goertz, a longtime downtown Fort Myers developer, said three of his projects — Patio de Leon, the Earnhardt Building and the second phase of Heritage Square — offer people a chance to lease commercial space and an apartment in the same building.

"It's a huge time saving," he said. "If you live where you work and only have to walk, you don't spend that amount of money for going around."

Chester Christie, who with his daughter, Heather Christie, also has reserved one of the Cypress Club units, said they'll probably lease them out to someone when the building opens and doesn't expect to have any trouble finding a tenant. "Certainly for a professional this would be ideal. Something like that would be extremely convenient."

The Christies moved here last year from Chicago, and Chester Christie said, "We're very familiar with high-rise living and we have a real good feeling about the way downtown is being developed."

The car doesn't have to be a part of someone's lifestyle, he said. "It's not unusual for people in Chicago not to have automobiles. They get around by taxicab and public transportation and everything is there and convenient."

[renner01]

City wants to double Harborside
Hotel, shops part of plan to draw conventions
Laura Ruane
Staff

lruane@news-press.com
Fort Myers city leaders are making plans to more than double the size of Harborside Event Center in order to attract thousands of people from across the country to conventions, trade shows and concerts.

The new venue would include:

A second building of about 60,000 square feet.

A nearby upscale hotel, built by a private company.

Retail shops within walking distance.

A bigger center would get the attention of about 75 percent of the touring convention business. Currently, only 15 percent can use the center because of its size.

The vastly expanded center is a dream of city leaders and Rose Rundle, event center general manager. They already have architectural renderings, and have invested about $10,000 pursuing the dream. Rundle isn't waiting for the expansion to be built: Today, she is asking the Tourist Development Council for help in marketing a bigger Harborside to meetings planners.

It could all come together in five years or less, Mayor Jim Humphrey said. The city has yet to estimate cost of expansion or determine how it would be funded.

"I'm very optimistic it will occur," Humphrey said, adding: "We must first ensure that our downtown area is redeveloped."

That redevelopment must include "some class-A hotel space," said Councilman Randy Henderson. It's one reason why he favored WCI Communities Inc. to handle the makeover of a 5.6-acre, city-owned site on the south side of the Caloosahatchee River. The WCI plan includes retail shops, condos and offices - and a hotel, Henderson said.

Harborside opened in 1991. "In its heyday, we were doing a lot of conventions," Henderson said. That was

before the 400-room hotel two blocks away slipped into decline. The Amtel-owned Ramada "has been in turmoil for the past five years," scaring off many business guests, according to Henderson and others.

A convention center can be a powerful stimulus for business. According to the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, leisure travelers to Lee County in 2004 spent, on average, $84.62 per day.

People who came here for meetings spent $111.44 per day, on average.

However, WCI's redevelopment plan has drawn flak from some council members who said the company would build too close to the river, and make structures too high - obstructing public views.

The company is tweaking its plans - and negotiating with the city to buy the land, said Ken Plonski, WCI spokesman. The riverfront redevelopment and Harborside expansion "kind of complement one another," Plonski said.

Harborside's expansion also depends on securing property. City leaders want to put a second Harborside building where the downtown post office stands. The postal service leases the building from a private owner but has an option for its purchase. Ultimately, Humphrey hopes to acquire that space for the city, reserving room nearby for a smaller postal outlet.

With a second building of about 60,000 square feet and some reconfiguring at the original Harborside, usable space could zoom from 42,000 to 100,000 square feet.

The original Harborside building would cater to fancier social and business events. The new structure would have a more basic interior, with additional storage and a loading dock.

"It's going to be more for trade shows, concerts and conventions," Rundle said.

AT A GLANCE

Name: Harborside Event Center

Owner: City of Fort Myers

Opened: 1991

Size now: 42,000 square feet of meeting space

Size of planned expansion: 60,000 square feet

Number of events

2003 153

2004 239

2005 270 (projected) SOURCE: Harborside Event Center

GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE
http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/...p_product=FMNB

[Dale]

Well, I guess this answers my question about the much-ballyhood renovation of the Ramada by Gates-McVey. I guess it's dead.

[renner01]

What a crappy article they don't even mention the condominium up for approval
Protesters rally against river condos

Fort Myers feel, Duany plan being ignored, they say
By ALLISON KEPNER
akepner@news-press.com
Published by news-press.com on February 8, 2005

• Pamela Nollar, 38, and son Jack Nollar, 7, protest development plans proposed for Fort Myers at City Hall on Monday. New proposals, conflicting with previous designs proposed by Andres Duany, allow for several high rises along the waterfront. STEPHEN HAYFORD/The News-Press

Holding signs reading "Save our city" and "We want to see the river," about 20 people gathered outside Fort Myers City Hall on Monday to protest the high-rise condominiums being approved on the waterfront.

Demonstrators said they are frustrated by elected leaders' OK of buildings up to 32 stories high and fear the public is losing its access to the Caloosahatchee River. The protesters want officials to follow the downtown plan designed by famed Miami architect Andres Duany more closely. He suggested an 18-story cap.

"I was born in Fort Myers, and I just don't want the river that made it what it is covered up by cement and high-rises," said Edison Park resident Shirley Reaves, 69. "They aren't listening to the Planning Board and they aren't listening to Duany."

The protest was organized by Caloosahatchee River Watch, which promotes the protection of the river. Many of the demonstrators Monday said they are not affiliated with the group but share its concerns.

Cape Coral resident Julia Davis, 45, is a member of the Fort Myers Community Drum Circle. She worries about development's effect on Centennial Park, where her group meets.

"When we drum, we have a view of the river," Davis said. "We would lose our heartbeat (without it)."

Mayor Jim Humphrey briefly joined the group Monday. He is concerned about the heights the council is approving, too, he said. "I want to see them follow (Duany's) plan."

But protesting outside city hall may not be the most effective solution, he said.

"I agree that they need to start taking a stand. They need to be at the public hearings," Humphrey said.

Several of the protesters took his advice and stayed for Monday's council meeting, during which they urged the leaders to delay approving any more projects until after a promised town hall meeting with Duany.

City staffers still are working to schedule the workshop with Duany, who wants municipal leaders to more closely follow his downtown plan or take his name off it. Duany made the demand in late December when he called a city official with several concerns.

The council seemed to support protesters' request for a delay in approving any more projects.

"The public is too unhappy right now in order for us to not respond to them," Councilwoman Frankie Jennings said.

The protesters hope city leaders heard their message. They love Fort Myers and just want to protect it from developers, they said.

"It has a heart," said Tim Stevenson, 55. "It has a flavor, and we'll lose it."

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs....502080453/1075

[Jasonhouse]

That's crazy about the eagle thing. You would think they would just find a way to move them or something.

[Landier]

The area known as Fort Myers is actually made up of a couple government agencies, mainly City of Fort Myers, Lee County, and City of Cape Coral across the river. Until recently the City of Fort Myers was left alone by developers looking to create large retirement communities, but now as recently been “rediscovered” by developers and there’s a rush to build luxury high-rise condominiums along the river. The river the city sits on is only approximately 12 miles by water to the open gulf. Unfortunately the City of Fort Myers is the smallest, and hardest to deal with government agency.

Having the metro area recently pass 500,000 official residents, with many additional illegal residents, full-time residents who claim residence in a different part of the country, and “snow birds” who live in Fort Myers in the winter; the population swells to 800,000+ in the winter.

The growth in the area is staggering, and the developers are building as fast as possible. Bottlenecks are government that is unprepared for this massive growth, and long-term residents who have lived a long time in a small city and are suddenly caught in a “boom town”, from which most of them were trying to stay away when they first moved to the city (however they are a very small part of the population).

The best way I’ve been able to gauge the growth in the area is by looking at the total trips through the regional airport which have been increasing by a staging 20% a year (even with 3 hurricanes to impact the area in the last year) http://www.flylcpa.com/pdfs/stats/To...Passengers.pdf The airport itself is a bottleneck for growth, but a new almost completed modern airport will be complete this spring.

As mentioned before there is the Red Sox spring training, but there is also the Twins spring training complex (and a minor league baseball team that plays out of the same stadium), a minor league hockey team, and starting this year one of the expansion teams of the new NBA minor league system.

Some have wondered why Fort Myers has missed the national scene; it’s mostly because it’s still a “will be soon” city. Just wait a couple years when there will be 15+ newly completed 20-35 story high-rises along the river (and of course the slew of new bigger and better project proposals that will follow)

There’s too much money at stake now, all the old people trying to protect paradise are being forced out.

As far as maximum height, I do not believe that 32 stories is a cap, however it’s more of an engineering cost related issue, one of those magical thresholds when building high-rises, such as 22, 27, 32, etc. To go above this they will have to make additions in the ways of pumps, pressure reducers, structural aspects, elevators, and of course availability of equipment for building construction, all of which can raise cost a lot more than the additional units that would be gained. For now it’s more likely a monetary magical height limit.

There are also many high-rises outside of downtown Fort Myers, most of which had previously been limited to the 12-story range, but now under construction there are multiple in the 20+ range.

Don’t even get me started on eagle crap – it’s the fastest way to kill your development.