Rep. Greg Steube tours Hurricane Ian-damaged Fort Myers Yacht Basin to address redevelopment delays

Rep. Greg Steube joined Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson on Tuesday to tour the damaged Fort Myers Yacht Basin, which has remained in disrepair since Hurricane Ian struck nearly four years ago.

The once-bustling marina now sits empty, with broken signs, cracked decks, and vacant posts serving as reminders of the storm's destruction. Fort Myers resident Bob Mabrey, who walks by the yacht basin daily, shared his thoughts on the area’s decline.

"It's a reminder of Hurricane Ian. It was so much fun to walk by before, when there was a lot of boats and people and activity, and it was fun to do it," Mabrey said.

Reconstruction efforts have stalled as the city awaits permit approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mayor Anderson emphasized the impact of the delays.

"It's restricting people from accessing our downtown from the water and the water from downtown. But more importantly, it's a negative economic impact on our downtown," Anderson said.

During the visit, Steube expressed his commitment to advocating for the project in Washington.

"I'm thankful to the mayor for inviting me down and bringing this to my attention so we can start advocating for this in Washington. It shouldn't take the bureaucracies at the Corps or FEMA. I still have counties in my district that haven't been reimbursed from Hurricane Ian," Steube said.

Renderings of the proposed project show plans for restaurants and shops overlooking the Caloosahatchee River. Residents and city officials are eager for construction to begin.

"It's important to go through all of that, but I feel like they should be able to go through things a little bit faster than what they are," Mabrey said.

Cape Coral resident Noemi Ruiz shared her hopes for the marina’s future.

"I actually would love to see it kind of rebuilt the way it was. Kind of like a nostalgic. I always find that downtown Fort Myers always reminds me of kind of like the past," Ruiz said.

The Army Corps of Engineers stated they are actively reviewing permits for the project in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.