Future of Fort Myers/Sanibel Resorts

[rapmarks]

Pat:

Bel Air Beach Club . . . . . You and Ron and Conchman.

Again at Lighthouse on Sanibel, and South Seas on Captiva, and a few other places.

We don't do exchanges any more since we live in Florida in the Winter, but I still use RCI to get (mostly) Last Calls for a few people.

& we own at that little resort you're not too fond of, and use the day-use privileges for a beach club.

What year was bel air? Ron had trouble driving home us why I ask.
I have 55 tpus expiring but can’t book because I need another surgery and probably radiation

 

[mmm2014]

Yeah. It sounds like there'll be a lot of high rise condos built on 20 foot high stilts. Can you build high rise condos on 20 foot stilts? I guess you can but they're going to have to be SOME stilts.

 

[rapmarks]

Red coconut RV park on fort myers beach just sold to developer for 52 million dollars

 

[rapmarks]

Red coconut RV park on fort myers beach just sold to developer for 52 million dollars
sorry duplicate

 

[OldGuy]

Pat:

Lawren at South Seas and several pontoon rides at Bonita Resort and Club.

 

[pedro47]

Is Nationwide Insurance dropping coverage in this area?
Nationwide Insurance dropped over 10,000 home Insurance policyholders coverage in OBX, North Carolina last week.

 

[OldGuy]

We went to FMB a couple weeks ago. It's still a mell of a hess. None of the several resorts we stayed at over the years are habitable or even there. It will be totally different place when those with deep pockets take it over.

 

[rapmarks]

I was just at the Pink Shell today. Passed the Abel wire Beach Club. Still so much work to be done

 

[Talent312]

I talked to a guy who'd been there a few weeks ago.
He said the place looked like it'd been bombed in a war.
There were places that were nothing but concrete slabs.
.

 

[rapmarks]

I talked to a guy who'd been there a few weeks ago.
He said the place looked like it'd been bombed in a war.
There were places that were nothing but concrete slabs.
.

Yes, surrounded by chain link fences.

 

[Kozman]

Windward Passage is suppose to have a phased reopening for later in 24. I assume the resorts on the beach that manage to rebuilt will have fantastic trade power.

 

[theo]

Windward Passage is suppose to have a phased reopening for later in 24. I assume the resorts on the beach that manage to rebuilt will have fantastic trade power.

Tropical Sands Resort on FMB now hopes to reopen within the next 2 months, according to the Board President during a Board meeting on January 31, 2024.

 

[chapjim]

Tropical Sands Resort on FMB now hopes to reopen within the next 2 months, according to the Board President during a Board meeting on January 31, 2024.

Realistically, will it be a desirable place to go if the rest of the town still looks like a war zone? Or, maybe it isn't that bad?

 

[PigsDad]

Realistically, will it be a desirable place to go if the rest of the town still looks like a war zone? Or, maybe it isn't that bad?

Have you been there lately? The area has recovered nicely. Sure, there is a lot of construction and many empty lots where buildings were razed, but it is hardly a "war zone".

Kurt

 

[Brett]

Realistically, will it be a desirable place to go if the rest of the town still looks like a war zone? Or, maybe it isn't that bad?

I was there last week, Sanibel Island and Fort Myers didn't look like a war zone.
On Sanibel island the road leading to the lighthouse was closed for "beach replenishment"

 

[chapjim]

Have you been there lately? The area has recovered nicely. Sure, there is a lot of construction and many empty lots where buildings were razed, but it is hardly a "war zone".

Kurt

No, I haven't. That's why I asked. I'd like to but want to know what I'd be getting into.

HGVC has a bunch of external exchange resorts in SW Florida but availability is very spotty. So, I suppose by the time I actually got a reservation, things would be better yet!

We'll be in South Florida (Pompano Beach) for two weeks in a couple of months. Could make a nice day trip -- Marco Island north.

 

[theo]

I was there last week, Sanibel Island and Fort Myers didn't look like a war zone.
On Sanibel island the road leading to the lighthouse was closed for "beach replenishment"

And on Fort Myers Beach, a brand new, expansive (but expensive) Margaritaville Resort property opened in late December, 2023 in the Time Square area and is clearly thriving. Several very popular FMB restaurants have relocated (but still remain on Estero Island / FMB) and are also thriving. Beach replenishment has been underway for a while now and is continuing. Time Square revitalization and Pier replacement will likely take 3-5 years, however.

That geographic area is a long way from full recovery from Hurricane Ian damage on September 28, 2022 and many condo buildings are under repair and not yet fully reopened (some are actually just now beginning their repair and reconstruction efforts during and after their ongoing insurance battles). FMB was very badly hurt, but is now clearly healing and hardly a “war zone”. Gone forever, however, are the quaint cottages and the small town beach vibe, soon to be permanently replaced by lots of corporate-backed new condo developments. Inevitable "progress" perhaps, but nonetheless a bit sad.

 

[Laurie]

Mariner's Boathouse has finally just received its full restoration permit. I'm not an owner, but have traded in, and lost my second exchange to Ian (and it's rare for me to ever exchange into the same place 2x). I loved its location, especially the lagoon full of birds between it and the ocean (in full view of the screened porches), so hope that will still be there. FMB did look sorta like a war zone about a year ago, but I have hope.

 

[Kozman]

Windward Passage has an anticipated reopening schedule of Oct. 1. The plan is to reinstate reservations that were cancelled due to the hurricane and basically pick up where they left off. Info per Resort Manager.

 

[Bwolf]

Sanibel Beach Club I, on Nerita Street, reopened June 1. I'm sure the master beds have linens.

 

[theo]

Estero Island Beach Club on Fort Myers Beach was severely damaged by Hurricane Ian in September, 2022 and was subsequently demolished.
EIBC is (today, in fact) submitting a specific reconstruction plan proposal to the town of Fort Myers Beach.

EIBC would obviously have to replace all of the 75 timeshare units they lost, yet still comply with new setback, "view corridor" and other new building code requirements. Previously, EIBC had two separate buildings; one 3 stories, the other 2 stories. The proposal being submitted to FMB today is for a single building that would be 8 stories high (the applicable code maximum is 3 stories). Only time will tell if the EIBC proposal (or any subsequently revised version) has any chance at all of being approved, or whether the EIBC timeshare owners will be willing to bite the bullet for what will certainly be the very high (no pun intended there) cost of brand new construction from the ground up.

Reconstruction of EIBC would have to comply with all of the new building codes, new base elevation requirements, etc. and compliance would be very costly. I'm not familiar with EIBC or its' finances, but it was an "older" property; post-Ian insurance settlement amounts might well be only a fraction of the actual cost of new construction.

 

[chriskre]

I was looking on the HGVC portal and a week was available at Seawatch for August.
I called in to talk to a supervisor to find out what would happen if I book it and they later canceled it because no one at the resort was answering the phone and the website still says they are closed until further notice.
I was using saved points so would leave me with few options if they cancel so late in the year.

Basically the supervisor said that yes you can book it but it’s at your own risk.
They tried getting in touch themselves with the resort and we’re not able to either which I find ridiculous for them to put these weeks as available to book without even knowing anything official from the resort.

She basically said book it but know you may not be going.
What’s that about?

 

[weems637]

Hurricane House on Sanibel Island reopened in late April, with no elevator (til November) and they are still waiting on the State of Florida to allow the pool to be opened. Most all the other resorts are in various states of repair.

 

[theo]

I was looking on the HGVC portal and a week was available at Seawatch for August. <snip> She basically said book it but know you may not be going. What’s that about?

Many of the beachfront condos on FMB are still a long way from being habitable. Numerous of them have only recently even begun to be repaired, delayed by permits, insurance battles, contracts, contractors and assorted supply chain issues. The availabilty of elevator parts and technicians is still a widespread problem throughout the area.

I know nothing about HGVC practices and I am not a gambling man, but having visited FMB recently I am inclined to believe that there is a near zero chance that Seawatch will be open for occupancy in August --- 60 or fewer days from today. I just don't see that as a realistic projection and am frankly surprised that a property that is completely closed and under repair today would (prematurely, IMnsHO) indicate availabilty 6-8 weeks from now. I'd be glad to be wrong and "hope springs eternal", but color me dubious.

 

[theo]

The Fort Myers Beach LPA (Local Planning Agency) summarily rejected the 8 story building concept submitted by Estero Island Beach Club the other day, as previously referenced a few posts above. The town officials are clearly supportive of a successful EIBC reconstruction, but they just as clearly advised the EIBC representative to come back with a better proposal for a much less tall, much less "boxy" and hopefully much more attractive structure. The design presented looked like a multi-story prison buiding.

EIBC has a tough situation to overcome, expensive reconstruction costs notwithstanding. Their parcel of land is just under 2 acres, but with new setback and "corridor view" requirements there is now considerably less buildable area for reconstruction. Yet, EIBC must somehow reproduce all of the 75 total timeshare units lost to Ian --- without greatly exceeding building height code restrictions; a difficult task. They might actually need a magician, as well as an architect with a whole lot more imagination.