Sunset Beach Resort breaks ground at Fort Myers Beach after Ian

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — A long-empty lot on Fort Myers Beach is finally showing signs of life.

The Sunset Beach Resort has officially broken ground, and developers say construction is moving forward.

Property owner Terry Persaud says excavators are expected on site within the next few weeks as the team wraps up securing its final permits.

"We're actually going to have the excavators here within the next couple of weeks, and you'll start seeing this thing go up," Persaud said.

The lot once housed several popular businesses before Hurricane Ian wiped them out.

When complete, the development will include a beachfront restaurant, an air-conditioned seafood restaurant, a rooftop bar, a pool, hotel rooms and office space.

For visitors, the progress is already making an impression.

"Since what it looked like before, it looks so much better, and it's cool to see where it's at right now," AJ Rivera said.

For newlyweds Laura Rubin and her husband, visiting Fort Myers Beach on their honeymoon, the rebuilding effort gives them a reason to return.

"Give us something to look forward to, coming back to celebrate a year of marriage, to see what new and exciting things are in place," Rubin said.

Locals say the project could mean more than just a new building, pointing to potential jobs, more visitors and a push for other property owners to rebuild.

"I just see a building, an empty lot, a building, an empty lot, and I just think that if you're people who are willing to spend money to rebuild Fort Myers, let them rebuild," James Briano said.

Persaud says vertical construction will follow once excavation gets underway in the coming weeks.