Construction is set to begin on a 47-acre residential, hospitality and entertainment hub built across seven man-made islands at the northwestern edge of Cape Coral.
City staff spent more than three years working with North Palm Beach-based Forest Development on the Seven Islands project, which includes adjoining properties along Old Burnt Store Road North. Cape Coral City Council approved the plan at its second and final public hearing Jan. 21.
“We’re super excited,” said Forest Development Founder and Managing Partner Peter Baytarian. “It’s been a long time in the making. We really tried to listen to the city of Cape Coral and the neighbors.”
Forest Development Founder and Managing Partner Peter Baytarian, right, speaks to Cape Coral City Council as Senior Vice President Sam Bauer looks on during a Jan. 21 meeting in which the Seven Islands project received final approval.
Evan Williams
The current vision for Seven Islands dates to 2015, when the city hosted a charrette with local stakeholders to develop a mixed-use concept. City Council approved that vision plan in 2016.
In November 2022, the city approved the $20 million sale of the vacant land to Forest’s Gulf Gateway Resort & Marina LLC, contingent on final project approval, which was granted Jan. 21.
Seven Islands received unanimous support from all eight council members, although Councilor Rachel Kaduk did not participate in the final vote due to a business phone call, she said.
“I think it’s going to be an incredible project for the northwest region of the city,” Mayor John Gunter said.
Baytarian said the project’s amenities will be the driving force behind its success.
“Why would I move to that project?” he said. “Why would I go there? It’s the amenities.”
Plans call for up to 995 residential units, both single-family and multifamily, along with 45,980 square feet of commercial space. The development also includes 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.
Old Burnt Store Road North borders the Seven Islands development site on Cape Coral’s western edge. City Council finalized approval of the 47-acre mixed-use project Jan. 21.
Evan Williams
The agreement also requires 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.
A construction timeline shows the project unfolding in stages, with full buildout expected to take more than a decade, though company officials said it could be completed sooner.
“It’s in our best interest to complete it as quickly as possible and bring our product to the market,” said Forest Development Senior Vice President Sam Bauer.
Forest representatives also worked with city staff and the Northwest Cape Coral Neighborhood Association for several years to secure community input and support, a step several council members said is unusual among large-scale developers.
Kevin Black, president of the Northwest Cape Coral Neighborhood Association, addresses Cape Coral City Council during a public hearing on the Seven Islands development.
Evan Williams
“I think (Seven Islands) will be a hub in the northwest Cape, something residents have been looking for, for a long time,” said Kevin Black, the association’s president.
Membership in the association is available to residents and lot owners north of Pine Island Road and west of Santa Barbara Boulevard, according to its website.
Despite that support, Cape Coral and Southwest Florida residents raised concerns during the project’s public hearings Jan. 7 and Jan. 21. Opponents cited potential increases in vehicle and boat traffic, environmental impacts and questions about the project’s economic viability amid a cooling real estate market.
Michael Hannon, president of the Matlacha Civic Association, warned that the development could worsen pollution and overcrowd the North Spreader Canal and Matlacha Pass waterways. He said the association would continue opposing the project.
Bauer said Forest Development conducted extensive land and water studies indicating the project is environmentally sound. He added that Seven Islands could reduce overall traffic by encouraging residents to live, work and recreate within the community.
“You don’t have to travel across the city anymore to get something to eat or shop,” he said.
Bauer also noted that real estate markets are cyclical and said large-scale developments historically increase surrounding property values.
Another nearby resident argued the project is too large to succeed economically, comparing it to the $700 million Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte County, a 785-room destination that faced low occupancy after opening in December 2023 and was later sold at a loss by its original owner and developer.
Close
A rendering shows the planned Seven Islands mixed-use development, a 47-acre residential, hospitality and entertainment project approved by Cape Coral City Council along Old Burnt Store Road North.
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.
A rendering shows the planned Seven Islands mixed-use development, a 47-acre residential, hospitality and entertainment project approved by Cape Coral City Council along Old Burnt Store Road North.
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.