Ft. Myers Development News

[Dale]

Landier -

Welcome ! Good to have some eyes on the ground in Ft. Myers !

Tell me, whatever happened to the much-ballyhood renovation of the Ramada by Gates-McVey, the project that was sais to kindle the whole downtown explosion in the first place ? Did it go bottoms-up ?

[Dale]

Oh, and I read somewhere that The Vue breaks ground late 2005. What's taking it so long ?

[Landier]

I haven't heard much about the renovation of the Ramada, only that they were proposing it, but haven't heard much since then.

I think the catalyst for the whole downtown explosion rests mostly on the completion of the Beau Rivage, that and the relatively cheap price the waterfront property in downtown Fort Myers was going for. In addition, it’s pretty rare in the area to have high-rise sites with existing amenities around, most people will complain that they’re lackluster, but throw-in this type of development and they will progress as well.

One main reason for the delay in breaking ground on The Vue could be construction phasing problems. Everyone here in the industry is maxed with work; there just isn’t enough manpower, equipment, and supplies to go around. There has also been a regional concrete shortage, so the developer, if he was smart, probably got all this phasing and material issues out of the way and spoken-for so that when construction does start there aren’t any costly holdups.

[Landier]

I should also be able to pickup some construction photos of Riva Del Lago (Outside of Downtown Fort Myers) and High Point Place, which was completing their foundation when I last drove by a week or 2 ago. Also under construction outside of downtown is Mastique East (19 stories), and the just completed Mastique West (Also 19 stories)

[Dale]

Thanks, Landier. Don't be shy around here !

[POLA]

[QUOTE=smiley]Duany, the annoying, strikes again:

The Beau Rivage towers over the Dean Park neighborhood in downtown Fort Myers. ANDREW WEST/news-press.com




The Beau Rivage at the east end of First Street is a new condominium reshaping the skyline of downtown Fort Myers. CLINT KRAUSE/news-press.com

Is the really a picture of fort myers!? Whats going on there! I grew up in this town and when I lived there it had a pop. of 30,000 and I'm only 24! I havent been to FM in maybe five years, and while it surprised me then how much it grew it still seemed like the dump I had left. So all this new stuff is exciting to hear as I'm in LA (it was because of living in a shitty small town that I became so interested in skyscrapers and big cities) and I have no more friends and family back there. Pictures! Does anyone have some pictures of DTFM? I used to skate down there when it was a ghost town and it was the closest I could get to being in a big city in my mind. I used to dream of it growing but this is great. So yeah, to all you in FM congrats! And take some pics.

[Dale]

^ And now there are probably more high-rises going up in FM than in LA, tee-hee !

[Landier]

Well, that really is a picture of Fort Myers, although it's been inverted, those highrises should really be looking the other direction if you were facing in that direction. Also, they really aren't that close together, it's just the angle of the photo.

Some areas are still a dump, but with this amount of development it's quickly improving. You must remember though, the only finished new building in the downtown is The Beau Rivage, everything else is either still pre-construction or just breaking ground so there isin't much to take photos of there yet. However I think I'll try to get some "before" skyline pictures so in about 2 years from now we can all gasp at them side by side

[Landier]

I took these pictures from a Heicopter, this is what most of Fort Myers is like. Most of the development had been taking place outside of downtown Fort Myers in the unincorporated part of Lee County. Most of the County west of I-75 looks much like this now, when just a few years ago it was all forest and cow fields

A breakdown of approximate development in the last 3 years:
2002: $1.5 billion in construction (they were talking about it as an anomoly at the time)
2003: $2.2 billoin in construction
2004: $3.2 billion in construction

Anyone else see where this is going!?

[Landier]

The town of Fort Myers Beach is it's own Monster, still in the same vicinity as downtown Fort Myers (about 15 miles away) It is primarily controlled by the old-timers who are completly against development. There is still some development in the area, but not nearly what there could be! It will still be quite some time before we see some real highrises built on Fort Myers Beach

Here's some photos of what is there now (although don't expect too much to change any time soon) A development here and there maxed out at about 15 stories.







That last one is my favorite photo of Fort Myers Beach, and the largest building in the center is the Beach's most recient "large" development - just completed.

[Landier]

This is the only shot I have of Downtown Fort Myers right now, I'll try to pickup some more (from the ground) soon.

[smiley]

That last shot is really interesting. The place loosk a lot different than jsut a few years ago - though I have no idea what the street is like. - I think it will be sort of WPB looking and maybe a bit in feel though the demographics are different - since most or all of the big stuff will be condos and there is a sort of old town area.

[smiley]

Imagine what Sarasota could be like with the head start it already has if they would lift the height resitrictions

[renner01]

BAP-Newleaf has started construction at 2589 First St. in Fort Myers on the sales center for The Cypress Club. BOJ Construction, a Massachusetts-based company, is doing the construction. The center is scheduled to be complete and open to the public the first week of November. The temporary sales center will remain open at 2235 First St., Suite 103, in downtown Fort Myers until the new center is available.

The sales center will feature an outdoor deck to showcase the views of the Caloosahatchee River with a contemporary look that mirrors the style of the buildings. There will be kitchen and bath vignettes, a scale model and screens projecting the lifestyle and the community. The center's furnishings are by Robb & Stucky.

Brian Fenster, principal of BAP-Newleaf, said this will communicate the quality and style of The Cypress Club. The community will be on the Caloosahatchee River, and will house 292 residences. Prices range from the low $300,000s to more than $2 million.

There will also be a waterfront park and promenade, accessible to residents of The Cypress Club, the public and residents of the Dean Park neighborhood. For more information, call 334-3472.
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs....410030355/1075

[Dale]

How tall will the sales center be ?! j/k

[renner01]

hey atleast they started something right? Now lets get oasis going!

[Dale]

I thought I heard that, in addition to Highpoint Place, St. Tropez (27 st.) was also u/c, and maybe even its sister tower.

[POLA]

thanks all for the pics! DTFM is banging. I guess now is the time to get into realestate there. Thanks again!

[Landier]

Downtown Fort Myers' talles Commercial Building to date

Although the Federal Court House may be taller, but you get the idea...

Commercial towers behind the new Residential towers need some work



High Point Place construction photos as of today (2/12/05)





The old 80's style condos next door to High Point Place (they look sorta like commieblocks!!)



A new higher resolution shot of that same view that was floating around



Beau Rivage shots







Construction next door to Beau Rivage



Someone want to loan me $6.5 million so I can buy this?!?!?!



Oh, this is the view from that lot (from the ground), just in case you were ready to pull out your wallet:

[MIAballinboi]

AWESOME!!

great pics man, represent ft myers, thats gonna be like west palm in a while.

great florida city. great bridges in that last pic!