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Work has been busy on the Wyndham Garden Hotel property on Fort Myers Beach since it was used last month as a staging area by the town for a sand haul project. Work is currently on hold pending a permit request. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Work has been busy on the Wyndham Garden Hotel property on Fort Myers Beach since it was used last month as a staging area by the town for a sand haul project. Work is currently on hold pending a permit request. The hotel was demolished last year. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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There has been extensive grading work on the Wyndham Garden Hotel site in recent weeks. The owners want to build a tiki hut, restaurant and bar though they have not been approved for any permits to do the work at this time. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
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Work on the vacant Wyndham Garden Hotel property, which has been undergoing extensive work in recent weeks, is currently on hold as the town works with the property owner on permits and plans.
The owners, who have owned the property for decades, have been seeking to build a bar and restaurant on the property.
Fort Myers Beach Public Information Officer Abigail Eberhart said “The Temporary Planning Permit (TPP) request was invalid because there is no existing permit to extend. As a result, the request will neither be approved nor denied since it was not submitted correctly.”
At this time, Eberhart said, “the applicant has not submitted a full commercial development plan, as was done for the food truck park. If they were to submit a complete development plan, it could open the possibility for the activities they are seeking, such as food trucks and live music. They do have several other procedural options available to them.
However, any new activity proposed for the site is considered new development. New development requires review by the Town Council in a public meeting, where the entire community has the opportunity to provide input.”
John Callis, whose family has owned the Wyndham Garden Hotel property for many years, said “I think we have been very good neighbors.”
Callis noted the owners have allowed the town to use the property as a staging area for a beach renourishment project and another infrastructure project, and last month for a sand haul project.
“I have tried to work with the (town) as much as possible to let you use the property to make the town better,” Callis told the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council on Monday. “What we decided to do was open up a bar and restaurant to support the south end and do the same thing we used to do.”
The hotel was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022 and was ultimately demolished and cleared last year.
Callis said the family wants to keep the property in the family.
Callis is seeking a special event permit. “We’ve gone through the permitting process. We’re in that process. We’re talking about installing a wave mitigation wall, which I think everyone in this (town) wants. We’re in that process. The engineering isn’t done yet,” Callis said.
A contractor working for Callis, said he thinks it could take 30 days to clean up the property once approvals are given. “The underground utilities are all existing, it’s just a matter of reconnecting everything,” he said.
Patrick Vanasse, a local planner representing the property owners, said they are looking to put together a development agreement with a tiki structure, bar and restaurant on site with trailers. He said the development agreement application is being reviewed.
Vanasse said he and Callis came up with a new plan to submit a reoccurring special events permit request for the activities they want. “We think that is a creative option as a temporary use,” Vanasse said. Vanasse said the permit request will be filed this week and is requesting to be given a hearing at the council’s meeting on April 6.
Vanasse said they are committed to putting in a wave mitigation wall on the property.
Eberhart said the town hasn’t received that permit request yet as of Tuesday.