1630 Medical Lane, Fort Myers, Florida 33907
Marc Joseph, Marc Joseph Realty Inc., 841-1919
Now Available, 5,000 Sq. Ft. Total, Freestanding Building
For Sale – $495,000, Three Units
1630 Medical Lane, Fort Myers, Florida 33907
Marc Joseph, Marc Joseph Realty Inc., 841-1919
Now Available, 5,000 Sq. Ft. Total, Freestanding Building
For Sale – $495,000, Three Units
3360 Pine Ridge Road, (Highly Visible at Corner of Livingston Road), Naples, Florida 34105
Randal Mercer, Brandon Stoneburner, CRE Consultants, LLC, 481-3800 Ext. 204, 223, www.creconsultants.com/go3360pineridge
Now Available, 16,500 Sq. Ft. Total
$22 Sq. Ft. + OpEx ($7) (est 2009), 201(A) – 2,490± Sq. Ft. Available, 202(B) – 4,548± Sq. Ft. Available
Minutes from Major Roads – U.S. 41 & I-75, Aggressive Buildout Allowance
6150 Diamond Centre Court, Suite 1001, Fort Myers, Florida 33912
Steve Ershowsky, E & M Properties, 274-9955, Ext. 205, sirshowsky@aol.com
Now Available, 3 Offices Total
From $250 & Up Per Month, Includes Conference Room, Includes Internet
Fax, Copier, Telephone System, Three Offices Available
Aqualance Terrace, 1189-1391 3rd & 14th Street, Naples, Florida 34102
George Vuko, Welsh Companies FL, Inc., 261-4744, www.welshfl.com
Now Available, 8,962 Sq. Ft. Total
$30 Sq. Ft. + CAM ($6.37), 900-1,350 Sq. Ft. Available
BB & T Bank, 405-445 8th Street South, Naples, Florida 34102
George Vuko, Welsh Companies FL, Inc., 261-4744, www.welshfl.com
Now Available, 6,363 Sq. Ft. Total
$30 Sq. Ft. + CAM ($7.78), 2,724 & 3,639 Sq. Ft. Available
When Biddle’s Restaurant & Piano Bar moved to its new south Fort Myers location last April, it represented both an expansion and a consolidation. While its previous Fort Myers location (in Sanibel Beach Place plaza) and Biddle’s Bucket restaurant on Sanibel have closed, owner Andy Biddle has incorporated the best of both under one recently-remodeled roof in a highly visible spot.
|Agents with Boback Commercial Group in Fort Myers recently reported the following lease transactions.
• Pediatric Services of America, Inc.: 1,588sf at 40 Barkley Circle in Fort Myers from Johnson Land Investments, LP. (Theresa Blauch-Mitchell)
Bonita Professional Center, 48331 South Tamiami Trail, Suite #2, Bonita Springs, Florida 34134
Ken Close, TIG Realty LLC, 676-9438, www.bonitaspringsprofessional.com
1993, 59,960 Sq. Ft. Total
$10.50 Sq. Ft. Gross, 1,000-9,000 Sq. Ft. Available, Includes Water
Breeze Plaza, 11905 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, Florida 34110
Tom Wilson, Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, 595-0918, tomandpennywilson@comcast.net
1988, 6,000 Sq. Ft. Total
$10 Sq. Ft. Triple Net, 1,000-6,000 Sq. Ft. Available, 6 Units Available
Breeze Plaza, 11905 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, Florida 34110
Tom Wilson, Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, 595-0918, tomandpennywilson@comcast.net
1988, 6,000 Sq. Ft. Total
$10 Sq. Ft. Triple Net, 1,000-6,000 Sq. Ft. Available, 6 Units Available
Capri Commons Retail, 428 Del Prado Parkway, Cape Coral, Florida 33909
Jordan Poppa, Welsh Companies FL, Inc., 261-4744, www.welshfl.com
2005, 22,410 Sq. Ft. Total
$12 Sq. Ft. + CAM ($4.47), 1,600-4,810 Sq. Ft. Available
SALES
• Tropical Lodge No. 56 Free & Accepted Masons of FL: 19,377sf industrial building on 2.3 acres at 10868 Metro Parkway, Fort Myers, from Rolling Frito-Lay Sales, LP for $750,000. (Stan Stouder, CCIM)
The Chamber of Southwest Florida, in partnership with LeeSar and Wright Construction Group, plans to present “Buy-Sell Southwest Florida: A Reverse B2B Purchasing Expo” on Friday, October 22.
|Nikole Wesley has joined Chris-Tel Construction as director of business development. Her responsibilities also include marketing.
Wesley has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and is an active member of the Junior League of Fort Myers, as well as an alumnus of Leadership Lee County.
Commercial agents with the offices of Colliers International in Tampa Bay, Central Florida and Southwest Florida recently closed more than 38 transactions totaling almost 200,000sf of leased space and 210,000sf of sold property. The Southwest Florida office reports the following sales and leases, all in Fort Myers unless otherwise noted.
|Columbus Square, 3569 Fowler Street, Fort Myers, Florida 33901
Jim Doane, Welsh Companies FL, Inc., 261-4744, www.welshfl.com
Now Available, 31,228 Sq. Ft. Total
$9-$10 Sq. Ft. + CAM ($2.84), 1,354-4,652 Sq. Ft. Available, 4 Units Available
Brian Green and Brandon Delanois have joined the office of Commercial Property Southwest Florida in Fort Myers (CPSWFL).
Green joins as a director, bringing to the position more than 25 years of experience in commercial real estate sales, management, development and accounting. Previously, Green was the senior vice president of Lehigh Corporation/Cape Coral Holdings, responsible for managing, operating and selling $250+ million in commercial and residential land assets.
To the casual observer, the Skatium and the Shoot Straight gun range in Fort Myers have nothing in common. But to those familiar with Compass Construction, Inc., the dissimilar projects exemplify the scope of commercial products the company can deliver.
Since 1984, the Cape Coral-based general contractor and construction management firm has tackled assignments ranging from healthcare, faith-based and educational facilities to recreational, public works and multi-family projects. To date, its completed projects total more than $450 million.
J.L. Wallace, Inc., has started construction of the U.S. Customs General Aviation Facility at the Naples Municipal Airport. November completion is expected.
|Dyches Building, 281 Broad Avenue South, Suite 281, Naples, Florida 34102
George Vuko, Welsh Companies FL, Inc., 261-4744, www.welshfl.com
Now Available, 4,800 Sq. Ft. Total
$30 Sq. Ft. + CAM ($7.62), 1,268, Sq. Ft. Available, Two Units Available
Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson will address the city’s challenges and opportunities at the Real Estate Investment Society’s (REIS) September luncheon meeting.
|Foxmoor Plaza, 5660 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers, Florida 33917
Dennis Claussen, The Richden Company, (773) 871-4737 (Office), (773) 456-0477 (Cell)
www.richden.com
Now Available, 700 Sq. Ft. Total, Anchor/Sweet Bay Market, Family Dollar and Bealls
Call For Rate, 710, 950, & 1,500 Sq. Ft. Available
Foxmoor Plaza, 5660 Bayshore Road, North Fort Myers, Florida 33917
Dennis Claussen, The Richden Company, (773) 871-4737 (Office), (773) 456-0477 (Cell)
www.richden.com
Now Available, 700 Sq. Ft. Total, Anchor/Sweet Bay Market, Family Dollar and Bealls
Call For Rate, 710, 950 & 1,500 Sq. Ft. Available
GATES is poised to begin renovations in September at the Marion E. Fether Medical Clinic in Immokalee. The clinic, which is Collier Healthcare Services (CHS) largest health care delivery site, will remain fully operational during construction.
|The staff at GATES in Naples has expanded with two new hires.
Gail Hamilton has joined the firm as a project coordinator. In this role, she is responsible for directing support services for teams in the field, including meeting organization, information and data processing, permitting, mail, printing, records management, telecommunications management, field supplies, recycling and disposal.
Gracie’s Cupcakes & Ice Cream is scheduled to open in October at Bell Tower Shops in south Fort Myers. The Naples-based bakery will offer 26 flavors of fresh, preservative-free cupcakes, including mini and giant sizes, and homemade ice cream.
|Gulfcoast Consulting Group, Inc. (GCG), a Fort Myers-based design-build firm, has been contracted by Dr. Thomas Bass, MD, FACS, of Gulf Coast Bariatrics, to remodel and add onto an existing building at 4519 Tilton Court in Fort Myers.
|Gulfcoast Consulting Group, Inc. (GCG), a Fort Myers-based
design-build firm, recently completed the new office of Island Park Family Practice in Parker Commons.
Over the summer, Heatherwood Construction Company completed interior renovations at the new Sable Palm Animal Clinic at the corner of Collier Boulevard and Rattlesnake Hammock Road in the Naples Lakes Village Shopping Center. Dr. Tonya Loreman and Dr. Shelley Gothard own and operate the clinic.
|J.L. Wallace, Inc., has completed construction of CVS Pharmacy locations in Naples and Osprey.
The Naples CVS is at 8831 Immokalee Road. The project consisted of constructing a 12,900sf building with a drive-thru, automatic glass doors, signage, prefabricated entry trellis and numerous other exterior features. The interior work included detailed cabinetry, shelving, fixtures and graphics, security grillwork, overhead door, resilient flooring, carpeting, coolers/freezers, and fire sprinkler and alarm systems.
Just in time for summer, J.L. Wallace, Inc., completed construction of a new Lee County park near Bunche Beach and overlooking San Carlos Bay.
|Jerald Wallace, president of J.L. Wallace, Inc., has been awarded the Healthcare Construction Certificate (HCC) by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering of the American Hospital Association (ASHE).
|Real estate broker Jim Kinsey recently was named “Most Valuable Broker for 2009” at the annual Broker Summit for McDonald’s Corporation’s Florida region. Kinsey has procured sites for five existing McDonald’s restaurants in Lee County and has two sites pending.
|Kraft Construction recently completed the 46,604sf Hope Hospice House on Beth Stacey Lane in Lehigh Acres. The project has been submitted for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, which recognizes and promotes the development of high-performance, sustainable buildings.
|During the third quarter, Fort Myers-based Land Solutions, Inc., brokered the sale of 122.34± acres on Imperial Parkway in Bonita Springs for $7 million. The parcel, approved for residential development, was purchased by Toll FL V Limited for construction of a Toll Brothers community in the future. The seller was Colonial Homes, Inc.
|Over the summer, agents with LandQwest Commercial in Fort Myers negotiated a lease that will bring appliance and electronics giant hh Gregg to Southwest Florida.
|Cindy Stratton and Joshlyn Bartels, CAM, with Real Estate Services International, LLC (RESI), report numerous closed lease transactions at South Trail Executive Suites in south Fort Myers.
|Lerin Byrd, licensed real estate broker for Gulfcoast Consulting Group, Inc., has been recognized by the American Real Estate University (AREU) as a Real Estate Owned (REO) Specialist, a designation requiring intensive coursework and an examination to complete. Fewer than one percent of all real estate licensees possess this credential.
|Midtown Professional Center, 1560 Matthew Drive, Unit D
(Summerlin Road Corridor), Fort Myers, Florida 33907
Randal Mercer, CRE Consultants, LLC, 481-3800, www.creconsultants.com/go1560matthew
1985, 1,400 Sq. Ft. Total, Zoned Professional Office, Immediate Occupancy
For Sale – $154,000, 2-Story Condo with Front and Rear Access to Upstairs Office
North Collier Industrial Center, 1040 Collier Center Way, Naples, Florida 34110
Tom Wilson, Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, 595-0918, tomandpennywilson@comcast.net
2005, 3,000 Sq. Ft. Total
$10 Sq. Ft., 1,000-3,000 Sq. Ft. Available, 3 Offices Available
North Collier Industrial Center, 1040 Collier Center Way, Naples, Florida 34110
Tom Wilson, Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, 595-0918, tomandpennywilson@comcast.net
2005, 10,000 Sq. Ft. Total
$10 Sq. Ft., 4,000-10,000 Sq. Ft. Available
Northwest Corner of Joel & Greenbriar Boulevards, Lehigh Acres, Florida 33972
Marc Joseph, Marc Joseph Realty Inc., 841-1919
Now Available, 11 Acres Total, Zoned – Commercial
For Sale – $100,000 (Each), Two Commercial Corner Tracts
Abel Natali, an assistant project manager for Owen-Ames-Kimball Company (O-A-K), has earned his Florida general contractor license.
Natali graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and business administration from the University of Florida. He joined O-A-K in 2006 as a job site superintendent on the $80 million Marco Marriott Resort and Spa renovation. He was promoted to assistant project manager in 2007 and continues to work in that capacity at O-A-K’s Punta Gorda office.
Owen-Ames-Kimball Company (O-A-K) began work in August on a replacement school for Meadow Park Elementary School in Charlotte County.
|LandQwest Commercial in Fort Myers has chosen Adam Palmer to direct the Office Division it launched during the second quarter. The new division is meant to complement the company’s established Retail Division, which is the exclusive leasing agent for more than 5.2 million sf at 38 anchored shopping centers on Florida’s west coast.
|The Commercial Division of RE/MAX Realty Group in Fort Myers reports the following recent sales and leases. All transactions are in Fort Myers unless otherwise noted.
SALES
• Gary D. Niethamer Revocable Trust: 6,000sf retail space in Unit 106 at Burnt Pines Plaza, 24940 S. Tamiami Trail, Bonita Springs, from BB&T for $685,000. (Randy Zavada)
The Commercial Division of RE/MAX Realty Group in Fort Myers has expanded by two.
Recently, Larry Basik and William Eilf joined as associates. Eilf will be working with the Sande Ellis Team. For more information, please call (239) 489-0444.
Regions on Fifth, 1100 5th Avenue South, (Easy Access to U.S. 41 & Goodlette Road), Naples, Florida 34102
Scott Dunnuck, CRE Consultants, LLC, 659-4962, www.creconsultants.com
Now Available, 3,400 Sq. Ft. Total, Class A Office Building
$20 Sq. Ft. + CAM ($7.67), 800-3,400 Sq. Ft. Available, Common Areas Remodeled in 2008
Locked Covered Parking & Professional Manager On – Site
Market intelligence and innovation come together in an educational program designed specifically to address capital resources for commercial real estate investment, development and management in Southwest Florida. The Real Estate Investment Society (REIS) will present the seminar, “Where’s the Money?” on Wednesday, September 22nd, at Pelican Preserve Town Center in Fort Myers.
|Rich Galvano, CCIM, and developer of the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Innovation Hub, has joined Fort Myers-based RE/MAX Realty Group’s Commercial Division as a sales agent.
|Agents with VIP Realty – Commercial in Fort Myers report the following closed transactions in Fort Myers.
• The Salvation Army has purchased a two-building commercial site totaling 8,437sf at 1855 Boy Scout Drive from Jenkins Properties, LLC, from $1.2 million. Paul Sands and Mike Doyle, CCIM, represented the seller and William Mankin/Colliers International represented the buyer.
Sheeley Architects, Inc., is participating in a 17,500sf renovation project for Fort Myers orthopedic surgeon Edward T. Humbert, D.O., M.S., of Joint Implant Surgeons, in conjunction with Stephen Laquis, M.D., F.A.C.S., and his wife/practice director, Nichole Laquis.
|Six Mile Cypress Office Park, 10501 Six Mile Cypress Parkway
(At Winkler Avenue Intersection), Fort Myers, Florida 33919
Terri Dawson, Florida Investors, LLC, 278-5800, terri@Florida-investors.com
Now Available, 82,106 Sq. Ft. Total, 5 Multi-Tenant Buildings Plus Carports & Garages on 12.65 Acres
For Sale – $7.8 Million & 10% CAP Rate, 84% Occupancy, Triple Net Leases, Long Term Tenants
Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. (CCMI) is seeking auction items and sponsors for its 5th Annual Becoming Cosmopolitan event, which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Harborside Event Center in downtown Fort Myers.
|Stevens Construction, Inc., has completed interior renovations at Florida Heart Associates at 1550 Barkley Circle in Fort Myers.
Stevens retrofitted the facility to accommodate the addition of a cardiac PET imaging scanner, used to evaluate blood flow and cardiac performance. It is the only facility in Lee County to offer cardiac PET stress testing.
Mike Garland and J.P. Pencil, superintendents for Stevens Construction Inc., have earned their Healthcare Construction Certificate (HCC) from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association.
|Tiffany Martin has joined Colliers International Southwest Florida as Senior Industrial and Office Specialist in the Fort Myers office. In this role, she will be working with Office and Industrial Specialist Bill Mankin.
|The Florida Southwest Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) has elected board members for 2010-11.
Scott Loiacano, CSI, LEED AP, of Wright Construction Group, is president and Russ Bunting, CSI, MCSE, Ken Bunting Carpentry, is president-elect.
You’d never suspect it by looking, but there’s a revolution underway on the ground floor of the Gorovoy M.D. Eye Specialists building in Fort Myers. That’s where the owner of Good2Go Healthy Takeout is working to change the way people think about health and wellness — one smoothie, sandwich or entree at a time.
Many people consider professional success and personal satisfaction a lopsided proposition at best and an either-or situation at worst. Neither has been the case for Cyndi Ott, who has found both as the owner of Robins Nest Bakery in Fort Myers.
With its sleek and stunning good looks, Pure Urban Oasis is the kind of restaurant and bar you’d be apt to find in Manhattan or Miami. Luckily for Southwest Floridians, Pure is much closer to home.
Located in Mercato in north Naples, it offers all the style and sophistication of a major metropolitan eatery with the energetic vibe of an urban nightclub. Remarkably, it is the only independently owned and operated restaurant in the sprawling center, which is home to a number of high-profile, national chains.
In Southwest Florida, there’s nothing better than a waterfront restaurant that looks like a tourist trap but gets rave reviews from the locals. There aren’t many that fit the bill, particularly around Fort Myers Beach, which is just one reason why Nervous Nellie’s is such a pleasant surprise.
Located in the old Snug Harbor space on First Street under the Matanzas Pass Bridge, Nervous Nellie’s proves that a great view and great food do not have to be mutually exclusive. It’s a combination that has proven popular with visitors who pack the place inside and out during season. More important, the restaurant and its upstairs bar, Ugly’s Waterside, have also made a big impression on a crowd that’s even harder to please — those who live here year-round.
Freshness applies to more than just the fish at Blu Sushi, which continues to develop and refine its winning concept. Although it’s hard to hone perfection, Blu’s owners have long had a knack for finding fresh ways to improve upon greatness. Obviously, it’s working.
Being an established and successful restaurant can be a double-edged sword. While it’s an advantage to be well-known and well-liked, it’s an ongoing challenge to stay that way. If you don’t change you risk growing stale; change too much or too often and you risk losing the following that put you on top. Find the perfect balance and you’ve found Bistro 41 in the Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers.
You’ve got to love a business that puts a money-back guarantee in writing, especially when that business is a restaurant. But don’t expect a free meal at Rib City.
Although the owners promise to pick up the tab of any customer who picks up a knife to eat their ribs, that’s not likely to happen with Rib City’s fall-off-the-bone baby backs. In fact, everything on the menu reflects an unwavering commitment to quality that has made the Fort Myers-based chain a household name nationwide.
In Southwest Florida’s revolving-door world of fine-dining restaurants and ubiquitous chain eateries, the Veranda is an original. Since 1978, it has impressed locals, tourists and food critics with its antebellum charm and unique menu, making it one of the area’s most enduring and award-winning restaurants. Because it has remained true to its Old Florida roots, the Veranda has never gone out of style or fallen out of favor with diners.
When Biddle’s Restaurant & Piano Bar moved to its new south Fort Myers location last April, it represented both an expansion and a consolidation. While its previous Fort Myers location (in Sanibel Beach Place plaza) and Biddle’s Bucket restaurant on Sanibel have closed, owner Andy Biddle has incorporated the best of both under one recently-remodeled roof in a highly visible spot.
The Prawnbroker Restaurant & Fish Market had plenty of competition and customers when it first opened in 1982. What’s remarkable is that 28 years later, most of its competitors are long gone and the Prawnbroker is still packing them in at its south Fort Myers location.
“We’ve seen the good times, survived the bad times and we’re still going strong,” says general manager Steve Wolfe, who has been at the helm from the outset. “We have a great customer base. Now I’m seeing the children and grandchildren of our early customers.”
The restaurant at the Fort Myers Country Club on McGregor Boulevard has been known by many names over the years, none for an extended period. This time, however, the historic, local landmark seems to have acquired a lasting identity as The Edison.
Unbeknownst to many Southwest Floridians, in recent years Vapiano has garnered national and international acclaim among restaurant industry insiders for its innovative approach to dining. Best described as “upscale fast casual,” the concept incorporates self-service and top-quality, made-to-order food items into one ultra-modern setting. It’s a unique epicurean experience that’s catching on locally at Gulf Coast Town Center in Fort Myers.
Other than the signage and strip center location, there’s little about the Sweet Bean Coffee Cafe that resembles a commercial operation. Unlike its ubiquitous corporate coffee competitors, Sweet Bean is a locally owned and operated original.
Bacchus of Fort Myers in the Bell Tower Shops occupies a space that has had many names over the years, including Bacchus, Dragonfly Bistro, Bacco and Toro. Now that it is back to being known as Bacchus, some diners question whether it’s the “real” Bacchus and whether the food is as good as the original’s.
Until earlier this year, there was little reason to visit Fort Myers Beach other than to frolic in the surf and sand. But with the January opening of Bayfront Bistro, diners from Sarasota to Marco Island are making the journey to experience Lee County’s hottest new waterfront restaurant. There’s much to savor at this exceptional spot.
It’s one thing to create clever menu concepts, but to prepare and present food that tastes as good as it looks takes real talent. Obviously, that’s something that Southwest Florida restaurateur Shannon Yates has in abundance.
If you’re from the South, you already know that barbecue, grits, cornbread and fried green tomatoes are dietary staples. But you don’t have to be a southerner to appreciate the delightful treat of dining at Lee Roy Selmon’s in Fort Myers. Located at the southeast corner of Daniels Parkway and U.S. 41, it is one of six Southwest Florida establishments named for the legendary football star.
If you confuse dining value with fast-food combo meals delivered via drive-through window, you need to visit Bear Rock Cafe in Fort Myers. Since opening a year ago, the eatery has proven that freshly-made meals can be tasty, quick and affordable. In fact, for less than $20, two people can enjoy a hearty home-cooked lunch or dinner – no small feat in today’s economy.
Unless you’re hungry for sushi, you’re guaranteed to find something to suit your appetite at Icabod’s Wicked Good Food and Drink in south Fort Myers. In fact, its oversized, four-page menu is so extensive and jam-packed with choices, it may be impossible to settle on a single item.
Unless you’re from Cape Cod, you might assume that the Roadhouse Cafe is a place that serves wings and beer to patrons clad in t-shirts. Well, don’t let the name fool you.
Located in the Gulf Point Plaza in south Fort Myers, the Roadhouse Cafe is one of the best fine dining restaurants to open in Southwest Florida in years. Formerly known as La Brasserie, Roadhouse offers outstanding food, entertainment and service in an elegant yet homey atmosphere.
After Jimmy Buffett’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise” became a hit in 1978, restaurants throughout south Florida and beyond claimed to be the inspiration behind the song. Life imitated art in 2002, when the songwriter himself opened the first Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant (in Indianapolis).
With pizza parlors on seemingly every corner in Southwest Florida, finding a pie is never a problem. Finding a great one is another matter – unless you know about Starz Restaurant & Pizzeria.
In just the last six months, Cape Harbour in southwest Cape Coral has become as well known for its restaurants as for its million-dollar waterfront homes. There, the restaurateurs behind the hugely popular Rumrunners restaurant have established two new and diverse options for casual dining with The Joint and Run Agrounds.
In most restaurants, music is used a background device to establish the ambience of the dining room and help set the tempo for the meal. But that’s not always the case.
Restaurants that succeed in downtown Fort Myers seem to share several distinctive characteristics.
For one thing, they tend to be owned and operated by restaurateurs with considerable experience not only in Southwest Florida, but also in larger, metropolitan areas or at world-class resorts in exotic destinations. The food and service reflect as much. Also, the owners appear to regard downtown as more than just a location, but rather a commitment to contribute to the area’s redevelopment.
It was a stunning blow to area diners when a fire in 2005 gutted Romano’s Macaroni Grill in south Fort Myers. The fact that Italian restaurants seem to be on every block from Punta Gorda to Marco Island brought little comfort to the restaurant’s loyal patrons.
When pondering where to go for lunch or dinner, Shell Point Retirement Community is not likely to be the first place to spring to mind. Considered by many to be Lee County’s best-kept secret, most visitors to Shell Point are pleasantly surprised to find that several of the community’s dining venues are open to the public. One of them is the Palm Grill.
When the Sunshine Café in south Fort Myers got a new owner last year, some long-time customers were a bit anxious. Many feared there would be an overhaul, drastically changing the character and menu they’d come to love. Fortunately, the new owner was Sandy Stilwell, and in the year since she’s been in charge, loyal patrons of the old Sunshine Café have more reasons than ever to like it as the Sunshine Seafood Café & Lounge.
Like the rest of Southwest Florida, downtown Fort Myers was a far different place when Harold’s on Bay opened just a few years ago. Beau Rivage had yet to open and plans for downtown redevelopment were still being formulated. So when respected chef Harold Balink decided to launch a new restaurant in the space once occupied by Peter’s La Cuisine, he knew he had his work cut out for him.
It’s rare to find a Southwest Florida restaurant whose adult patrons were children when they enjoyed their first meal there. Fortunately for local diners, Mona Lisa is just such a place.
At first glance, one might not notice that there’s been a change in the roster of four-star restaurants at the Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers. That’s why it behooves fine-food lovers to revisit one of the center’s prime spots, now occupied by Bacco Restaurant & Wine Bar.
It’s a good sign when a restaurant opens to rave reviews and standing-room-only crowds. It’s an even better sign when that is still the case after two years in business.
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