Old theater site eyed for apartments in Estero

ESTERO, Fla. — The old Regal movie theater in Coconut Point could be transformed into apartment buildings as Simon Property Group prepares to present its redevelopment plan to the Village of Estero on Tuesday.

Fox 4's Eric Lovelace got the opinions of neighbors:

The mall's owner will propose converting the former theater space into a 365-unit apartment building with garage and parking areas during Tuesday's Planning, Zoning and Design Board meeting.

The movie theater, located in the heart of Estero's shopping hub, closed its doors in 2022. Since then, the vacant space has become increasingly noticeable to neighbors.

"It's getting to be an eyesore," said Michelle Abner, who lives in Estero.

The proposed development has sparked mixed reactions among neighbors. Betsy Vary expressed concerns about adding more residential units to an already busy area.

"How does all that traffic come into play? What happens to the quaintness of our community," Vary said.

Some neighbors suggested they would prefer to see entertainment venues instead of apartments. They noted the area lacks nightlife options.

"Like maybe a jazz club, or blues, there's nothing here, it pretty much dies at 9 o'clock," Abner said.

Abner said she remains undecided about the proposal until she can review the complete plan.

"Just kind of neutral right now until I have more information," Abner said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.