Fort Myers Beach officials approved plans for a three-story building in Times Square Plaza to replace the former Kilwins chocolate and ice cream shop destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022. The project marks a key step in rebuilding the town’s central commercial district following Ian and subsequent damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024.
Town council members on Dec. 15 unanimously approved the project by property owner Carlos L. Chavez, represented by The Neighborhood Co., a Southwest Florida planning and design firm.
Located about 100 feet from the former pier and across from Lynn Hall Memorial Park at 50 Old San Carlos Blvd., the plans call for an open first floor housing Chavez’s ice cream vending truck concept, Meli’s Ice Cream Shop. A one-bedroom apartment spanning the second and third floors, with balconies, would serve as a residence for Chavez and his family.
Fort Myers Beach Town Council meets Dec. 15, when members unanimously approved plans for a new mixed-use building in Times Square Plaza as part of the town’s post-hurricane redevelopment efforts.
Fort Myers Beach government
“They’re very excited in taking their existing mobile ice cream shop and building a brick-and-mortar (store and residences),” said Patrick Vanasse, president of The Neighborhood Co.
The project offers a preview of future development envisioned for Times Square, where planners anticipate more mixed-use buildings with ground-floor retail and residences above. Town staff said redevelopment of the downtown area is progressing gradually under a comprehensive plan aimed at creating a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly district. Chavez’s planners said the open-air ice cream shop is designed to maintain the area’s small-town character by encouraging walking and bicycle traffic, while the building’s coastal architectural style is intended to complement surrounding development.
Planners hope the project will help spur redevelopment along Old San Carlos Boulevard and a proposed bayfront plaza, creating “a cohesive, pedestrian-friendly ‘Main Street’ that connects the island from the Gulf to the Bay,” according to a staff report. Construction could begin this summer, with an opening anticipated in early 2027.
The project approved by Fort Myers Beach Town Council would feature an open-air ice cream shop on the ground floor with a one-bedroom residence above, reflecting the town’s long-term vision for a pedestrian-friendly Times Square district.
Fort Myers Beach government
Before final approval, the Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency approved the project Oct. 14, followed by a first reading and public hearing before Town Council on Nov. 17. The approvals include deviations from design standards to accommodate the site’s tight footprint, including an increased floor-area ratio of 2.5 instead of 1.8. That allows for 2,797.5 square feet of development on a parcel of about 1,195 square feet.
A last-minute revision to the agreement requires Chavez to pay a proportionate share toward a future wave-mitigation wall if the town constructs one. Planners are studying how such a wall could strengthen the shoreline and benefit businesses, potentially allowing some properties to be removed from high-hazard flood designations and enabling enclosed first-floor development. Chavez would have the option to enclose the ground floor in the future if a mitigation wall is built.