Do We Beach House

The Fort Myers Beach Town Council gave final approval Wednesday to the rebuild of the former Wyndham property on the island’s south end — the Estero Boulevard site Hurricane Ian destroyed, and that was later demolished and cleared. The plan that cleared the council puts a beachfront destination there, not a hotel.

Phase 1 centers on an 11,200-square-foot tiki pole barn structure housing a restaurant and bar, with covered outdoor seating, space for live entertainment, and food and beverage service. The site provides 163 parking spaces.

Phase 2 adds a permanent restaurant inside the tiki structure, replaces the mobile food setup, includes a wave dissipation wall, and grows the recreation area — with a pool and a lazy river — to roughly 21,500 square feet, served by 237 parking spaces. Proposed operating hours run 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

For the south end of the island, that is a real milestone. This property has been one of the most visible reminders of what Ian took. An approved plan for dining, live music and a pool complex puts a familiar address back in play — and gives visitors one more reason to spend a day on the southern stretch of Estero Boulevard.

A lot of Fort Myers Beach came back quickly. It’s the long-running projects like this one that quietly finish the job.

Source: Beach Talk Radio News — “New Wyndham Plans Receive Final Approval”