Seagate CEO Matt Price answered questions from Fort Myers Beach residents at The Pink Shell Resort for over an hour Wednesday night. Seagate is proposing a multi-million dollar project for the 10-acre Red Coconut property that was a beloved RV Park for decades.
Price is hopeful that through his discussions with town staff and Town Manager Andy Hyatt, working through the town’s Development Agreement process, he can get his plan in front of the Local Planning Agency in September. A Development Agreement allows a developer to work directly with staff to see if a project even has a chance to make it to the LPA and Town Council. Other developers go through the CPD process which includes every detail of a project, takes much longer, and costs a lot more money. If a Development Agreement gets the green light from staff, it could help a developer start building sooner. At the end of the day, the LPA and the Town Council still need to approve development projects. The goal of a Development Agreement is to help rebuild the island on a faster track, if possible.
The Seagate proposal includes 2 buildings that are home to a total of 137 condo units, 4 single family homes, 3 parks, a restaurant open to the public, a 240 foot view corridor on the beach side of the property, a private pedestrian walkover and a private beach club.
The questions on Wednesday night mirrored many of the questions that concern residents and visitors regarding other new developments; building height, density, traffic, parking and public benefit.
Seagate has proposed 137 condo units and 4 homes, 9 units under what they are allowed to build by right, according to the town code for that property. Price told the Wednesday night crowd of about 100 people that those condo units will not be rentable. They will be for permanent beach residents.
It may also be of interest to those looking at what Seagate is proposing, that, by right, using the town’s hotel room multiplier (2.5), Seagate could have proposed a resort that included hundreds of rooms which would create a much more transient traffic situation.
Yes, Seagate will be asking for more height (and other deviations) than what’s allowable on that property. The north condo building is 15 floors over 2 floors of parking with 69 condo units. The south condo building is also 15 floors over 2 floors of parking with 68 units. Price believes what he’s returning to the town in public benefit should help him get the height he’s asking for. The question for the residents may come down to do they want taller buildings with more of a view corridor or short spread out buildings with no view corridor at all.
The public benefit includes turning one third of the property into public space, not building any livable units on the beach side of Estero, beach views from Estero Boulevard, public access to Matanzas Pass Preserve, bicycle and walking paths.
Town Manager Andy Hyatt tells Beach Talk Radio his staff is working hard to get the Seagate proposal on the September LPA agenda.
Comments are closed.