Taking an inside look at new developments changing Fort Myers skyline

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

Fort Myers is experiencing a wave of new development and redevelopment, with new residential, commercial, and marina projects reshaping the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods.

WEST FIRST STREET

Steve Branter, owner of Steve B. Waterfront Café and Biergarten on West First Street, has been part of the community for 15 years and has seen the area evolve. Branter’s business was severely impacted by Hurricane Ian in 2022, which caused significant damage to his property.

The storm also destroyed Legacy Harbour, a marina near Branter’s café, eliminating hundreds of boat slips. “We lost several hundred boat slips that were right here in the yacht basin,” Branter said.

Nearly four years later, the marina is being rebuilt with 131 slips ranging from 40 to 150 feet. Branter is optimistic about the return of boat traffic to the neighborhood.

“We're real excited about getting the boat people back because we lost all of that business,” Branter added.

“This marina has long served as a homeport for boaters traveling Florida’s west coast,” said Rick Budd, CEO of AIRN Management. “The May 2026 reopening represents a significant reinvestment in Fort Myers’ waterfront and a long-term commitment to the local boating community.”

Boaters may request a slip by visiting fmlegacyharbour.com and selecting “Request a Slip,” or by reserving directly through Dockwa. The newly updated website also provides detailed information on slip sizes, marina amenities, redevelopment highlights and project updates as Legacy Harbour returns to service May 1. For additional information, visit fmlegacyharbour.com.

NEW RESIDENTIAL HIGH-RISE

Farther up the river, a 21-story luxury residential high-rise called ONE Fort Myers is under construction. Pesche Robinson, sales manager for Jaxi, the development company leading the project, highlighted its significance.

“(It's) the first residential condominium development being built in over 20 years,” Robinson said. The boutique high-rise will be located along the Caloosahatchee River, offering waterfront living. Robinson explained the timing and location of the project.

“Downtown Fort Myers has been evolving in the past decade tremendously. You can see with the airport being expanded with billions of dollars. It's just a demand of people coming to an area where you can still have reasonable cost to live in waterfront and new construction,” she said.

To address flooding concerns, the building’s design includes elevated parking and residential units starting on the third floor, 40 feet above ground.

NEED FOR HOTELS

Meanwhile, in the heart of downtown, the need for hotel rooms is growing. Mayor Kevin Anderson pointed out the limitations of the city’s convention center due to a lack of nearby accommodations.

“We have a nice convention center, but it's limited to the size of the conventions they can hold because of the hotels that are there,” Anderson said.

A Hilton Tempo Hotel has been proposed at First and Jackson Streets. Gulf Coast News has been tracking this project for months. Learn more about it here.

That's not the only new hotel in the works.

Robinson also shared that Marriott plans to renovate the Royal Palm Towers into a hotel with 196 rooms by December 2027.

PARKING CONCERNS

However, the influx of visitors presents challenges, including parking. I asked Mayor Anderson about the issue.

“So we can't add surface parking, obviously, because there's only so much land. So, eventually we will have to add a fourth garage,” Anderson said. A timeline and location for that additional garage have not been developed at this time.

Learn more about available public parking in downtown Fort Myers here.

FORT MYERS YACHT BASIN

The city’s yacht basin, damaged and empty since Hurricane Ian in 2022, is awaiting approval from the Army Corps of Engineers for permits to begin redevelopment.

“I personally was in Washington and spoke to the assistant director of intergovernmental affairs for the White House, and I told them it's a constant reminder of what our community suffered during Hurricane Ian,” Anderson said. “Once those permits are issued, you're going to see over $100 million worth of development in and around the basin,” he added.

NEW APARTMENTS AND SMALL BUSINESS

On West First Street, Triton Cay’s phase two is progressing, with an eight-story apartment building set to provide more rental options. New businesses like Café Chocolattés and Point Ybel Brewing have also opened in the area.

Branter remains hopeful that the surrounding development will benefit his small business. “I'm here with my little cafe and, riding the wave, you know, just watching it happen every day at a time,” he said.

As business grows, Branter anticipates expanding his team too.

“That's definitely coming with the addition I'm doing here. You know, I have people in line, can't wait to come to work here,” he said.

BEYOND DOWNTOWN

Additional projects in Fort Myers include the Midtown neighborhood development, which is expected to bring more housing, shopping, and dining options.

Legacy Island, located east of the Edison Bridge, could feature walking trails, a public observation pier, and a picnic pavilion.

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