THE SUNSET COAST
From Fort Myers to Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples and on to Marco Island, there is a beautiful stretch of coastline we call the Sunset Coast. This is the lovely part of Southwest Florida that is experiencing impressive growth – thoughtfully planned, low-density eco-sensitive growth that is drawing buyers from all over the world.
Early development on the Florida peninsula’s east coast followed a “more is more” philosophy and the result is east coast neighborhoods of tightly-packed homes that tend to offer little privacy and limited views. By the time development moved to Southwest Florida however, civic and community planners had taken note, recognizing the benefits and the appeal of master-planned luxury communities that offer large proportions of open space, with attractive shaded parks, pristine nature preserves, sparkling lakes, lush golf courses, walking paths, a wealth of resort-style amenities and tasteful clusters of architecturally appealing neighborhoods. Open spaces create low-density, a luxury which in turn creates intimate and special places to live.
Why Southwest Florida:
Here, near the tip of the Florida peninsula, we experience the sought-after winter sunshine that induces so many people to buy homes along the Sunset Coast. Just look at the tv meteorologist’s daily weather maps this winter and you will see that the tip of the Florida peninsula - roughly south of a line from Port Charlotte on the west coast to Palm Beach on the east coast - is consistently about 10 degrees warmer than the central and northern part of the Florida peninsula. Here is where you have to be to benefit from the glorious sunny winter weather.
What about other areas? The Sarasota area is nice, but a little far north for the warmest winter sunshine. Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and the other east coast cities are just too over-developed and over-populated. As for the Florida Keys, they are very ‘exposed’, have limited infrastructure, services and amenities and claim just one main road in and out which can get jammed with traffic. No, Southwest Florida’s Sunset Coast is the place to be.
By Area
SANIBEL ISLAND & CAPTIVA ISLAND - To some, these remote barrier islands are a tranquil reminder of ‘old Florida’, with magnificent beaches, no high-rises and an old-town feel to them. To others, these islands are simply too ‘exposed’ to the elements, with limited infrastructure, services and amenities, and only one road (and a toll bridge) in and out.
FORT MYERS & CAPE CORAL - Though traditionally a ‘working’ city of around 55,000 inhabitants rather than a resort town, Fort Myers is undergoing somewhat of a renaissance, both in the downtown where luxury high-rises are being constructed along the Caloosahatchie River and also in the new master-planned communities of South Fort Myers. On the north bank of the Caloosahatchie River lies Cape Coral, a community of over 120,000 with few low-density master-planned communities.
FORT MYERS BEACH - To some, ‘The Beach’ is the place to be, a thriving mecca for sun, sand, water sports and nightlife. To others, Fort Myers Beach is another ‘exposed’ barrier island with a rather touristy feel: a ‘Spring Break’ kind of beach resort town.
BONITA SPRINGS & ESTERO - Historically, Naples and Marco Island have been the high-price areas and development has tended to move northward from Naples. In the past, buyers would sometimes start looking at property in the Naples area, then move northward towards North Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero to find attractive properties in their price range. Today, an increasing number of savvy buyers are coming to Bonita Springs and Estero first! Although you have probably heard of Fort Myers and Naples, you may not know of the many attractions of the Bonita Springs/Estero area, which is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. When you come to visit, you will very soon understand why.
NAPLES - Long thought of as one of the most desirable places to live in America, Naples offers a luxurious and unique lifestyle and the city is renowned for gorgeous beaches, magnificent waterfront homes, excellent restaurants, world-class shopping, a vibrant arts scene and abundant outdoor activities.
MARCO ISLAND - An island resort town located a 40-minute drive south of Naples, Marco Island has long been a favorite winter retreat, with properties ranging from multi-million dollar high-rise penthouses on the beach to older canal-front homes approaching a million. However, Marco Island is not the place to go looking for an inexpensive condo!
Come on down !
77 million Baby Boomer are about to start retiring. Traditionally, 21% of retirees buy in Florida and so the next decade should bring strong demand here in Southwest Florida – and with strong demand comes strong price appreciation.
Traditionally, the local property market was busiest in the winter months but now buying and selling activity has turned into a year-round event. Let’s face it, Southwest Florida is always going to be a desirable destination because the fundamentals won’t change: the winter sunshine, the glorious warm-water beaches, the wealth of recreational opportunities, the wonderful relaxing and informal lifestyle….. are you really planning to spend the next 20 winters in Michigan?
BOOMING BONITA SPRINGS
Baby Boomers are coming of age and claiming their own little slice of Florida paradise known as Bonita Springs, located on Southwest Florida’s Sunset Coast, mid-way between Naples and Fort Myers. Once the well-kept secret of a few mid-western retirees, Bonita today is being discovered by discerning home-buyers from all over the world - and impressive well-planned local growth is the result.
The community voted to incorporate as a city in 2000 and Bonita’s first mayor, Paul Pass, says “There’s no place like it and it’s just going to keep improving. What’s not to like? We have the finest beaches and the best golf courses in Florida. The weather is beautiful and the community is great.”
No one who knew Bonita in the mid 1990’s could have imagined the transformation that would reinvent this former rustic fishing village on the Gulf of Mexico into one of Florida’s fastest-growing communities, a high-end resort area that still somehow manages to retain that small-town ambiance and appeal. Bonita today draws world-wide attention like no other community in Florida and is duly recognized for its mid-price and high-end homes, luxury master-planned communities, bountiful amenities, world-class restaurants and resorts and its unequaled environmental resources. Not too far away in Immokalee, Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan is building the mega-project Ave Maria University and Eve Maria City.
According to Florida’s last census, Bonita Springs leads the state in communities of 10,000 or more residents with incomes of $150,000 and up. More than 40,000 permanent residents populate Bonita today (even more, during the winter months) and this is a huge increase from the 1990’s population of fewer than 15,000 residents.
By the late 1980’s, homes once averaging $75,000 to $100,000 near Bonita Beach were being torn down and replaced by lavish new residences. Developers such as Westinghouse (now WCI Communities) and The Bonita Bay Group had the foresight to see the potential and they began buying up undeveloped land parcels on the west side of U.S. 41 (a.k.a. South Tamiami Trail). It was this buying spree that launched high-end home development in South Lee County, first with 2,400-acre Bonita Bay and then with 2,400 acre Pelican Landing, adjacent and to the north. Both developers set the standard for future development by dedicating large tracts for wildife preserves which added to the appeal because home-owners could now view native wildlife from their own back yards.
By the late 1990’s, a trend had begun of ‘responsible stewardship of the land’. Each master-planned development today includes large areas for wildlife preserves, sparkling lakes, verdant parks and championship golf courses. Meanwhile along Old 41, Bonita’s historic district has undergone careful restoration, including Riverside Park, several historic cottages and the 1920’s-era Lyles Hotel. The proposed Imperial Landing project will be a magnificent addition to Old Bonita and will further transform the area. Perhaps the historic Shangri-La Springs health spa (where the ‘springs’ actually are) will be next!
Although residents in the city’s desirable multi-million dollar communities are obviously affluent – and plenty of luxury cars can be seen on the roads each winter - Bonita residents have a casual and unassuming style that is not typical of most communities in similar settings. They are not living here to be flashy; they appreciate the informal lifestyle Bonita offers and enjoy being a part of the community. Although the city is only a few years old, Bonita has been around for a hundred years and there’s a unique history here, with a depth and diversity of people that you just don’t see in other parts of Florida.
But Bonita is not just about grand estate homes and luxury high-rises either. Condos can still be found for around $200,000. A gracious blend of down-home and upscale, old and new, Bonita Springs is a forward-thinking community that also honors its distinctive heritage.
As with neighboring Estero, there are many exciting new projects being developed in Bonita Springs. Located at the corner of U.S. 41 and Coconut Road, the new Coconut Point Town Center lies on the city’s northern boundary and it is slated to become the finest commercial/residential attraction in Southwest Florida. South of Coconut Road, the South Village is taking shape also. Across the road, Coconut Trace is under construction. North Bay Village is finished, with a Robb & Stuckey showroom, restaurants, an art gallery, restaurant and coffee shop. Back Bay Marina on Bonita Beach Road has been replaced by a six-story ‘boat condo’ that incorporates condos and boats stacked on six levels. As you see, there is a community for every taste!
The city’s long-range plans are always being improved upon and they include careful planning to prevent the over-development that characterizes so many of the cities on the Miami coast. There’s still room for responsible growth here. Between 1980 and 2003, the coastal population (people living in coastal zones) in the U.S. increased by 28%. Over the same period, the increase in Florida was 75% so clearly, Florida is the place to be. Bonita city officials estimate that within a couple of years, Bonita will rival Naples for amenities and attractions. It was only a few years ago that Bonita was a sleepy little fishing village but it has blossomed into a destination city in its own right and a most desirable place to live. In 2003, Hyatt opened a property at Coconut Point in Bonita Springs and the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point is one of the most magnificent resorts in the whole Hyatt chain.
Southwest Florida International Airport has a brand new airport terminal which is served by most U.S. airlines; it is only a 15 or 20-minute drive from Bonita Springs. Wherever you live in Bonita Springs, the magnificent beaches of Barefoot, Bonita or Lover’s Key are likely to be within a 20-minute drive. The fishing is world-class in Estero Bay, in the passes and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Bicycling, tennis, golf, boating, wave-runners, fishing, aviation…… whatever your passion, we have it all.
When you come to visit, you will immediately see why this area is so special and so very different from other parts of Florida. You will see for yourself how the city is booming – yet with thoughtful planning, low-density and eco-sensitivity in mind - and soon you will catch the fever yourself, because Bonita Springs is certainly an exciting place to be!
EXCITING ESTERO
Like its Bonita Springs neighbor to the south, unincorporated Estero (Spanish for estuary) is experiencing thoughtfully-planned growth that is unprecedented for such a small community. In 1998, Estero didn’t even have a gas station to call its own! Over 3,500 years ago, Estero Bay’s Mound Key was the gathering place of the Calusa Indians but it wasn’t until 1869 that Estero became a real community when New York doctor Cyrus Teed had a ‘divine illumination’ and came down here to start a utopian settlement on the banks of the Estero River. The self-sufficient Koreshans, as they called themselves, believed that Estero was the world center of a giant cosmogenic egg.
Cyrus Teed also believed in celibacy for all – except himself and his seven wives. Undrsatandably then, the Koreshans today are long gone and what Estero is at the center of, is burgeoning master-planned and environmentally sensitive development. The community is determined not to make the same mistakes that were made with over-development in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Here in Estero, everything is thoughtfully planned out and each new development is subject to strict guidelines and a thorough review and approval process. Estero gas stations, for example, typically have pitched roofs with barrel tiles!
Bordered on the east by Florida Gulf Coast University and on the west by two-mile Lover’s Key beach, Estero is ideally situated with good access to beaches, the university, the airport, the interstate and of course the excellent shopping, dining and resort-style amenities that this area is fast becoming know for. As the university grows, Estero is expected to become home to the university’s expanding faculty. Plans are afoot for University Village, a retail shopping center with restaurants on Ben Hill Griffin Parkway near Alico Road. Next door to the university is Germain Arena, home of the Everblades Hockey Team and a venue for shows and music concerts. Nearby on Three Oaks Parkways is one of the best public libraries in Lee County.
Along U.S. 41 (a.k.a. South Tamiami Trail), construction is well underway on the upscale Coconut Point Town Center, an attractive mall on 483 acres which will have 1.4 million sq. ft. of retail space, boutique and department stores, several restaurants, a hotel and a 20-screen Muvico stadium movie theater. It will be bigger and better than the best malls in Fort Myers and Naples. To the south is the South Village commercial site. Adjacent and to the north will be Northpoint, a 102-acre upscale residential and commercial community with 550,000 sq. ft. of retail, 120,000 sq. ft. of office, a 150-room hotel and 150 residences. Across the street is Coconut Trace, another extensive commercial and residential development. Coconut Point Town Center is anchored by 488-acre Rapallo which is a unique 540-home Mediterranean-style village residential community in the North Village of Coconut Point Town Center. Homeowners can walk or ride a bicycle to the town center, using one of seven over-water footbridges, modeled on the bridges of the coastal towns of Italy.
Until 1997, Estero had no significant commercial development. Statistically, less than 15% of the potential land for commercial development has been developed to date. Estero will undoubtedly become Southwest Florida’s third major regional shopping area because of its location midway between Fort Myers and Naples and because Estero has a significant number of vacant land parcels suitable for development. The vast Coconut Point Town Center represents only about half of the potential total commercial development for the area. Commercial construction along Corkscrew Road is well under way and this artery will become Estero’s commercial center. At the corner of I-75 and Corkscrew Road, the 38-acre Miromar Outlets Mall is already an established success and it is expanding with a further phase. On the south-east corner of the interchange is Miromar Development’s brand-new neo-classical International Design Center (IDC) for residential designers and their clients. The 38-acre campus contains the IDC and lakes and will have a business hotel and office building. Phase I is open and has 250,000 square-feet on three floors. Future phases will allow the building to grow to 400,000 square-feet of showrooms of furniture and accessories, fabrics, wall-coverings, lighting, kitchen & bath products, flooring, art and antiques. IDC is the first such design center to be built in America in the last twenty years – and it’s right here in Estero! Two hotels are coming to the intersection of I-75 and Corkscrew Road. The Embassy Suites is already open and a Hampton Inn is to be built also.
15 minutes away to the north on I-75, Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) has just undergone a $438 million redevelopment plan and the new terminal is magnificent. Passenger traffic has increased each year for the last twenty years and today, almost every U.S. airline flies into this airport. The airport is now well-placed to handle the ever-increasing number of arrivals.
A 228,000 sq. ft. Walmart Supercenter is to be built on the north-east corner of U.S. 41 and Estero Parkway. Just across Estero’s northern boundary in south Fort Myers, the huge shopping, dining and entertainment complex of Gulf Coast Town Center is well under way. The first phase is open with numerous stores and a 16-screen movie theater. A huge Bass Pro store is under construction, as well as restaurants and other stores.
Another wonderful amenity is the new 65-acre Estero Community Park on Corkscrew Road. The park includes a 41,000 square-foot community center, more than 40 acres with recreation and nature areas, lakes, a recreational facility, the historic Boomer House, a scenic walkway, a 5K cross-country course, two play areas for children, picnic shelters, natural vegetation, parking, restrooms, two bocce ball courts, 8 horseshoe pits, disc golf and outdoor volley ball.
Further afield in South Lee County, the Ginn Company purchased 4,538 acres in 2005 for the development of a luxury golf community. Known as a developer of ultra-luxury communities and resorts, the Ginn Company plans to offer oversized lots and large estate homes the like of which have not yet been seen in the area. This unique development will also help to put South Lee County on the map.
On the western border of Estero, Lover’s Key/Carl Johnson State Park is the largest waterfront state park in Florida. Its 1,616 acres of pristine beachfront grounds attract visitors from around the world and provides habitat for a variety of native wildlife. It is not uncommon to spot bald eagles fishing, ospreys nesting, roseate spoonbills, frigate birds, wood storks, pelicans, snowy egrets and more than forty bird species. Manatees, bottle-nosed dolphins, otters, raccoons, possums, marsh rabbits and other animals are also encountered.
Census reports in 2000 listed Estero’s year-round population as 10,000 with a winter ‘snowbird’ population of an additional 6,000, amounting to 16,000 in total. By 2004, the estimated year-round population was over 18,000 with an additional winter population of around 11,000, amounting to a total population of over 29,000. The increase in population – and the corresponding increase in property values – has contributed unexpected millions to Lee County’s budget. The effect of these extra funds is easily seen in the quality of the schools, libraries, roads, parks and other infrastructure and facilities in the area.
More than $75 million has been allocated for roadways that will either directly or indirectly benefit Estero and these improvements will put corridors in place which will in turn enhance Estero’s commercial development. Because the community of Estero insisted on controlled growth, the Lee County Commissioners consider Estero to be a model community. Estero is the only community in Lee County where developers must hold a community meeting before filing an application for a Development Order so that every new structure, whether residential or commercial, conforms to Estero’s very high standards of tasteful and controlled growth. Estero’s planners set the tone and the developers decided they liked what the community was doing. With a focus on environmental issues and responsible development, Estero has received millions of dollars for infrastructure and capital developments. Estero is a success because of the community and you simply have to see this wonderful part of Florida to believe it!
