City of Fort Myers has been under contract since April 2025 to purchase a 1.41-acre riverfront parcel at 2002 W. First St., along with an adjacent unaddressed parcel. The city plans to incorporate the vacant land — along with submerged property under easement — into Centennial Park.
The sale’s closing date has now been extended for a fourth time. City Council approved the latest extension at its Jan. 20 meeting, pushing the closing to March 31. The extension will allow the seller, SMI VUE LLC, owned by Steve Israel, time to complete associated IRS tax filings and address marina slip credits with Lee County, according to a city staff report.
Vacant land along the Caloosahatchee River, shown adjacent to Centennial Park, is the subject of a delayed $7.8 million acquisition by the city of Fort Myers.
Evan Williams
Previous extensions provided time for environmental assessments and cleanup tied to potential contamination. Concerns stem from 1950s-era fill material used to extend the land near the Caloosahatchee River and a former used car sales operation on the site.
The city plans to fund the $7.8 million purchase with a $5,034,927 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation and $2,765,073 from a general line of credit, not including closing costs.