Cape Coral keeps growing. Here are 15 developments that are changing the face of Southwest Florida’s largest city:
1. Jaycee Park
Expected to open mid-to-late April
Includes a bistro building, bandshell and overlook boardwalk along the Caloosahatchee River
More than $12 million invested in the renovation
“Jaycee Park’s under construction right now. We’re really excited about the future of it, where we’re going with it,” said Parks and Recreation Director Joe Petrella. “Right now, we’re looking at, hopefully, opening in mid-April to late April, and then really starting to do events there after that.”
2. Festival Park
Turf fields are installed, and work continues on grass fields and the amphitheater. The park is near Wilmington Parkway and Chiquita Boulevard.
Event programming is planned to begin this fall
Minor delays were caused by irrigation and pump issues
3. Yellow Fever Creek Preserve
Contractors are finishing site work
Will include hiking trails and a disc golf course
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4. Walmart Supercenter coming to Pine Island Road
Site planning is complete
Groundbreaking is expected this spring
Opening is projected for late summer 2027
Plans include wider aisles, a fuel station and a full auto care center
“This new supercenter layout will be new and the future of Walmart, and what that means is expanded aisles, it means elevated fashion assortment, we will have a fuel center, we will have the full auto care center and really expanded assortments across the total box of grocery, food and consumable,” said Bethany McAlister, Walmart director of public and government affairs. “We’re really excited to be able to say we’ll be breaking ground soon this spring.”
Pine Island Road already sees heavy traffic, making safety a top concern, she said. The company plans to work with state and local officials to ensure the site is developed safely while accommodating continued growth in the area.
“As the community grows, we’re growing with you all, and we’re just so proud to be a part of expanding Southwest Florida and within the Cape Coral community,” McAlister said.
Leasing is underway across the 131-acre site
The project includes 306,000 square feet of commercial space
A high-end grocery store is planned as the anchor tenant
Developers are targeting a mix of higher-end and unique retailers
“This is a significant project that will have tremendous impacts on the city of Cape Coral. I’m excited to have it there and to have the access to stores and shops that we don’t have,” said Jim Zboril, CEO and Principal of L&L Development Group. “It’s a great lifestyle project where I hope that one and all, people come and enjoy tourism.”
How is industrial development growing?6. Bones Coffee Company
A 100,000-square-foot facility is planned
Groundbreaking is expected in the coming months
The expansion will bring roasting, flavoring, packaging and distribution into one location
“The facility will allow us to expand our operation,” said Mack Jhno Charles, vice president of operations for Bones Coffee. “Right now, we do everything in-house: we source the green coffee, we roast on site, we flavor on site, we bag on site, we distribute on site. With larger footprints, we can bring everything under one roof and allow all of these operations to expand.”
He continued, “We started here in the Cape, we’ve grown here in the Cape, we’ve grown within the state. We want to grow our offering nationally, we want to make sure that we also are a name throughout the country, but we want to make sure that we put Cape Coral on the map as a manufacturing location, not just for coffee, but for many other companies that want to move down here.”
From left, Stephanie Vilfort, a student in the dental assisting program at Cape Coral Technical College practices cleaning skills on classmate Grace Provenzano under the guidance of instructor Chris Weygant Wednesday morning, March 16, 2022. Cape Coral Technical College is planning to expand its curriculum in an effort to bring more blue collar programs to the school.
7. Cape Coral Technical College
Construction is underway and scheduled for completion July 1
Classes are expected to begin this fall
It will be the first technical college in the city
Charlie Pease, director of Cape Coral Technical College, highlighted the gap the school will fill in Cape Coral’s workforce pipeline.
“It’s hard to believe that we have almost 250,000 residents here in Cape Coral, and there is not a single post-secondary trades training or vocational training center for the blue-collar trades in Cape Coral,” Pease said. “This will be the first of its kind, post-secondary, blue-collar trades training in the entire city of Cape Coral.”
He also noted the curriculum is being shaped with input from local industry to match current workforce needs.
“We want to engage with our local industry department,” Pease said. “We want to make sure that we’re training students with the right skills to get them prepared for the future, right? We don’t want to prepare them for the past. We want to prepare them in the future.”
8. How is the fire department preparing for growth?
The Cape Coral Fire Department is planning for long-term growth as demand for service increases with the city’s population.
A big change is the addition of a local training facility, which allows firefighters to train within city limits instead of traveling to Fort Myers or elsewhere in Lee County. That shift keeps units in service and available for emergencies.
The city is also planning three new fire stations in north Cape Coral as part of its master plan. Locations are based on factors such as housing density, multifamily development and specific risks in each area.
“The fire department is continually preparing, continuously improving,” Fire Chief Mike Russell said. He shared plans to open three fire stations for the north sections of the city to meet growing demand.
“Those stations are situated strategically based upon risk, what types of buildings, what types of attractions might be in that area, as well as how many homes, multifamily homes, vertical construction goes into that district as well. It’s a well thought out process,” Russell explained.
9. How is public safety evolving with the population boom?
Police calls for service are increasing alongside Cape Coral’s growth, with total incidents rising about 8% year over year, according to the department.
The city is already divided into four quadrants: Southeast, Southwest, Northwest and Northeast. The next step is building out physical precincts in each quadrant, a process that is still underway. The goal is to place officers closer to the neighborhoods they serve and reduce travel across the city.
Police Chief Anthony Sizemore said the department is also working closely with the Lee County School District and local charter schools through its School Resource Officer program.
“Our population is increasing, businesses are moving. This is a hot place to be. But with that, comes the need for services,” Sizemore said. “Crime and non-criminal incidents are up over 8% every year, year over year, so with that influx of workload and population, we have to grow to keep pace.”
What’s the latest on waterfront redevelopment?
Gulf Gateway Resort and Marina Village will be located on the Seven Island site in northwest Cape Coral and feature condos, apartments, hotel, marina, commercial and retail, and more.
Developers closed on the 47-acre site in February
A nine-month civil engineering phase is now underway
Groundbreaking is expected in early 2027
Plans include 995 residential units, a 240-room hotel, 180 boat slips and a community center
Forest Development Managing Partner Peter Baytarian said they closed on the property in February.
“Now we’re the official owners and very excited to start moving forward on it,” he said.
11. Yacht Club and Boathouse Tiki Bar & Grill
Seawall replacement work is ongoing
The Boathouse redesign is about 60% complete
The Boathouse will be rebuilt as a two-story structure with the first floor elevated about 14 feet
The restaurant will take up most of the main floor
The second floor will have two bars, one by the marina and another by the beach
Beach chair and umbrella rentals are planned
“We’re really excited about the new design. We’re really excited about what’s going to start taking shape down there, and I think the community will love it,” Cape City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn said. “Now, we just have something bigger and better than what was there originally.”
Where are new homes and hotels planned?
Aerial of Hudson Creek site purchased for $100 million in Cape Coral.
More: Brand new towns, new mega communities planned for Southwest Florida. Here’s where
12. Star Farms of Cape Coral (Hudson Creek)
Awaiting final city permit approvals
Housing types include single-family homes, townhomes and villas
13. Hermosa North Fort Myers
All residents must be 62+
Four-story building with 41 one-bedroom and 31 two-bedroom units
Affordable rental housing located at 16321 N. Cleveland Ave. in North Fort Myers
14. Ava Square
A 55+ community with 121 units
Affordable rental housing located south of Hancock Bridge Parkway
Groundbreaking is expected in April or May
15. TownePlace Suites by Marriott
Foundation work is underway at the Northeast 8th Terrace site
Completion is expected in spring 2027
The hotel will include a high-capacity generator for emergency response use
16. What changes are coming to Cape Christian?
Cape Christian is building a new worship center designed to serve as both a church and a broader community space.
Leaders said the facility will expand capacity for large gatherings, conferences and partnerships with local organizations.
The church is also undergoing a leadership transition. Lead Pastor Cory Demel plans to relocate to Nebraska in June, with Pastor Kyle Jackson stepping into the role.
Jackson said the church sees itself as part of the local business community and aims to stay connected to the city’s growth.
“One of the things that I love most about Cape Coral is the people, the leaders, the entrepreneurs, the business owners who are shaping the future of this city. And at Cape Christian, we don’t see ourselves as separate from the business community; we’re a part of it,” Jackson said. “This new building absolutely brings the resource of the community, a space for events, partnerships, gatherings, but just as importantly, we value the relationships behind it.”
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Mickenzie Hannon is a watchdog reporter for The News-Press and Naples Daily News, covering Collier and Lee counties. Contact her at 239-435-3423 or mhannon@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Cape Coral growth: 16 projects changing the city