Developers have purchased a large parcel of land in southwest Florida, threatening the area and angering residents.
Gulf Coast News reported that Forestar (USA) Real Estate Group bought the 1,745-acre parcel of land in northwest Cape Coral for $100 million. The developers told the outlet they have plans for 3,500 new homes and a shopping center.
The deal was brokered by LSI Companies, which told Gulf Coast News that it is the largest unimproved land deal in Lee County history. The company also stated that a lot of the preserve area will remain protected, like the Yucca Pens Preserve, which is north of the development project.
Proposed developments like these can have a detrimental impact on the local ecosystem. The region is already battered by hurricanes, which have been increasing in intensity and frequency in recent years due to human-caused rising global temperatures. There’s also the threat of rising sea levels, another side effect of rising temperatures.
Swamps and salt marshes in the state play an important role in stabilizing the shoreline, filtering water, and providing habitats for important wildlife species, per the EPA. Losing these unique ecosystems to development will have long-term effects on the immediate region and the overall health of the planet.Â
The news was shared in a Reddit post in the Florida subreddit, where people familiar with the area seemed less than enthused by the deal.
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One person lamented that there would be “More unaffordable apartments a shopping center and lots and lots of concrete.”
Another quipped, “Don’t forget the storage facilities. We just don’t have enough in Southwest Florida.”
“They won’t stop until there’s no more land to build on. Paved Paradise and put up more houses,” a third person wrote.
Residents across Florida are feeling similar frustrations. Recently, an Orlando resident shared the devastating news that a previously untouched area was slated for new condo construction. And residents of Cape Coral, where the recent land purchase occurred, have also criticized a proposed neighborhood layout that was never completed due to a lack of funding.Â
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