Cape Coral is poised to approve a long-planned 47-acre mixed-use development on Seven Islands, a group of man-made islands just west of the city along Old Burnt Store Road North.
City staff have spent more than three years working with developer Gulf Gateway Resort & Marina LLC and Forest Development on plans for the site. City Council is scheduled to finalize the project at a public hearing Jan. 21. The city approved a $20 million sale of the vacant land to Gulf Gateway and Forest in November 2022, and negotiations over development of the property date back to at least 2016, said Sharon Woodberry, the city’s economic development manager. The land sale is contingent on final approval of the development plans.
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An aerial rendering depicts the proposed Seven Islands development as it would appear from above, showing marina slips, residential buildings and recreational amenities adjacent to existing Cape Coral neighborhoods. City Council is expected to finalize approval of the long-planned project Jan. 21.
A conceptual rendering illustrates a pedestrian-oriented public space planned for the Seven Islands development, including shaded seating areas, food trucks and waterfront access. Developers say the project is designed to promote multimodal transportation and public amenities.
A rendering shows the planned Seven Islands mixed-use development in Cape Coral, featuring waterfront residential units, resort amenities and a marina along a man-made canal system west of Old Burnt Store Road North. The 47-acre project includes residential, commercial, hotel and public-access components.
An aerial rendering depicts the proposed Seven Islands development as it would appear from above, showing marina slips, residential buildings and recreational amenities adjacent to existing Cape Coral neighborhoods. City Council is expected to finalize approval of the long-planned project Jan. 21.
A conceptual rendering illustrates a pedestrian-oriented public space planned for the Seven Islands development, including shaded seating areas, food trucks and waterfront access. Developers say the project is designed to promote multimodal transportation and public amenities.
A rendering shows the planned Seven Islands mixed-use development in Cape Coral, featuring waterfront residential units, resort amenities and a marina along a man-made canal system west of Old Burnt Store Road North. The 47-acre project includes residential, commercial, hotel and public-access components.
The proposal includes up to 995 residential units, both single-family and multifamily, along with 45,980 square feet of commercial space. Plans also call for a 10-story hotel with 19,000 square feet of meeting space, a public marina and a 16,500-square-foot community center featuring an amphitheater, dog park, splash pad, kayak launch, sidewalks and a pedestrian and golf-cart bridge connecting islands six and seven.
The agreement also includes construction of seawalls, roads and other public amenities, along with a $2.5 million compensation package from the city. The developer is still securing final permits from state agencies, and full buildout is expected to take more than a decade.
Developers worked with the Northwest Cape Coral Neighborhood Association to gain its support. However, three residents spoke in opposition during the project’s first public hearing Jan. 7, raising concerns about increased traffic and the amount of multifamily housing in Cape Coral amid a cooling real estate market.
Forest Development Senior Vice President Sam Bauer speaks during a Jan. 7 Cape Coral City Council meeting, where residents and council members discussed the proposed Seven Islands development.
Evan Williams
Forest Development Senior Vice President Sam Bauer said the project is designed to promote multimodal transportation.
“Our goal is to reduce traffic, not increase it,” Bauer said.
He added that real estate markets are cyclical, and that projects of this scale have historically increased surrounding property values.
Several City Council members voiced support for the development, including Mayor John Gunter.
Old Burnt Store Road North borders the Seven Islands development site on Cape Coral’s western edge. City Council is scheduled to finalize approval of the 47-acre mixed-use project Jan. 21.
Evan Williams
“I’ve never seen a developer that works hand in hand with a neighborhood association like these folks have,” council member Jennifer Nelson-Lastra said.
Council member Joe Kilraine echoed those comments, while council member William Steinke pointed to the public water access planned as part of the project.
“I think that’s what will make it attractive,” Steinke said.