Town Finally Targets Dilapidated Wyndham Property

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So many of you were baffled that The Wyndham property was not on the town’s first list of ten unsafe properties. Especially when one building on the list was demolished the day before the list came out and another was put on the list by mistake. Here’s the latest on the Wyndham.

The Wyndham at 6890 Estero Boulevard is clearly the most dangerous of the largest buildings on Fort Myers Beach. It has not been touched by the owners since being destroyed in Hurricane Ian 20 months ago. Anyone can walk from Estero Boulevard to the beach through the building. There are no protective fences, the pool is filled with furniture and nearly 2-year old gunk and wires dangled from wrecked rooms.

Back on April 22, 2024, the town of Fort Myers Beach finally began the process of issuing code violations on the property owner. The owners were cited for “the maintaining of a property with structure(s) in need of repair and/or demolition.”

That notice set in motion the process to fine the property owner if nothing was done. The owners of the property had 30 days to come into compliance by either repairing or demolishing the structure.

On May 30th the town went back an reinspected the property only to find out that despite sending the certified letter one month earlier, nothing had been done to even secure the property.
The next step would be for the town to start hitting the owner with daily fines, which could be up to $500 per day. The fine process would have be set in motion by Special Magistrate Monica Schmucker. The next Special Magistrate meeting is on Wednesday, July 3rd. The Wyndham is not on that agenda.

The most recent assessment of the Wyndham property by Lee County is just under $17 million.

 

28 COMMENTS

  2. I checked with Wyndham since I’m a member ..They don’t own the property but I think for there own reputations well being and thoughtfulness for the community, they would do SOMETHING ….

      • like any LLC they have registered address and get mail at that address (including paying annual corporate registration fees), even if they use a provider. They are getting the notices but ignoring them. FMB needs to fine them more than 500 a day. Should be 5K a day. That they way in another year, it will be town property. Worst case the own will respond through lawyer to object. Better than no response for two years

  4. I’m sure they had a valid address to accept payments for the use of their property for the emergency room located there by FEMA and the access for the loads of sand piled up.
    This certainly doesn’t make up for income lost but that should have helped in demolition costs.

  6. I also noticed that some folks from off island are dumping their trash, beach umbrellas and chairs in the first opening next to the beach access along the parking lot rather than taking their trash home with them. There is getting to be quite a pile of extra trash.

  7. If everyone is aware of the condition of the Wyndham property, yet it hasn’t made the list, perhaps the Town Manager needs to be asked directly. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if there’s questionable dealings being made to keep it off the list.

  8. Dear Ed & Kim, Would you be able to use your resources to verify if the Wyndham owners’ address cited above is the one to write if neighbors wish to lodge a complaint ? Perhaps we the citizens can bombard the owners with letters urging them to do something to clean up their property. Thank you very much!

  9. 162.09 Administrative fines; costs of repair; liens.—
    (2)(a) A fine imposed pursuant to this section shall not exceed $250 per day for a first violation and shall not exceed $500 per day for a repeat violation, and, in addition, may include all costs of repairs pursuant to subsection…

    • So John what are we waiting for the violation $ to reach before the demo starts? Or are we waiting for a law suit of children entering and getting hurt exploring in the debris. Or homeless folks taking up camping on the property. Seems ridiculous the code folks have not taken the case to the magistrate and she hasn’t called them to a hearing. Unless we haven’t brought it to the magistrate yet.

  11. This so unneighbourly and irresponsible given how the locals have supported the Wyndham all these years. The fines are certainly not sufficient and the Township is not doing their job! Not a very good reflection on that franchise!

  12. So nothing has been done. Fining someone who doesn’t reply equals nothing. Clean up the property, send the bill to the owner. The town , county and state should be after him. Ed. Find out who owns it please.

  13. I think $500.00 per day if the property had a fence around and the pool empty of water that by now I’m sure is a mosquito breeding ground & also should be with a separate fence. Now if the owners have not responded by now & the property is not secured, the find should be $1,000. Per day and given 30 days to respond or the town will start demolition & clean up process AT COST PLUS 10% so the City can profit some money for having to do the hiring etc.

  14. Who actually owns the property? If they have no plans to rebuild on the land, why wouldn’t they sell the property as is? It’s a dangerous situation that needs immediate attention.

  15. I am not sure a $500 per day fine would get The Wyndham to do anything. Can the town knock the place down and put a lien on the property. That area needs to be made safe.

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