Fort Myers Beach's Silver Sands hotel plans comeback after several hurricanes

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (WINK)—A quiet lot on Fort Myers Beach could soon transform into a rebuilt Silver Sands resort, marking another step in the island's recovery from Hurricane Ian.

The property currently houses a temporary Lee County Sheriff's Office trailer. But renderings reveal plans for a five-and-a-half-story resort with 60 rooms, a rooftop pool, penthouses, and Gulf views.

"I survived (Hurricane) Irma. And it was no match. I mean, this was a strong storm. The surge was 15 feet high," said Alex Lopez, a Fort Myers Beach neighbor.

Lopez described the devastation left by Ian. "The surge was 15 feet high. I mean, nothing can… we had 53-foot refrigerators of, you know, on the middle of the street, we had houses on the canal. We had everything destroyed," he said.

Nearly four years after the hurricane, some areas are still rebuilding. The Silver Sands property was once a thriving hotel, full of life in 2011, before Ian wiped it away.

"We're happy to and excited to share what that vision looks like with the new Silver Sands design, the resort, 60 rooms, five and a half stories," said Chris Flagg of TPI Hospitality.

Lopez welcomed the development plans. "Oh, my God, yes!" he said. "The renderings look really nice."

"What is going to bring Fort Myers Beach back is going to be redevelopment, and we're excited to be part of that chapter," Flagg said.

The project stands separate from the nearby Margaritaville resort but represents part of the same growth pattern reshaping the island. "Fort Myers Beach is not a lost cause. It is very much as a bright future, and we're excited," Flagg said.

For neighbors like Lopez, the progress means opportunity. "Anything progress that brings jobs, anything like that, is good for the island," he said. "Come to Fort Myers Beach!"

The project now enters the approval phase, with hearings expected this summer. If approvals move forward smoothly, construction could begin in 2027, with Silver Sands potentially reopening by late 2028.