Alessio Trade Center opened the doors of a second, almost identical twin building to the first, a 114,000-square-foot warehouse that distinguishes itself with its location and its height.
Located just off Interstate 75 and State Road 82 in Fort Myers with a 36-foot-high ceiling, Alessio Trade Center provides industrial and other businesses a unique opportunity, said Justin Thibaut, CEO of LSI Companies, which is the leasing agent. LSI held an open house on the property April 22.
The first building, which measures 128,550 square feet, broke ground in December 2023, opened late 2024 and reached 90% capacity within about a year. It was the first major construction project taken on by Alessio Companies after it paid $10 million for 159 acres in 2022.
The first building has tenants such as Ace Pickleball Club, Florida Conquer Volleyball, Mitra9, Gerzeny’s RV World, and flooring and air conditioning companies. Thibaut said he expects a similar mix of tenants in the second building, which can be leased in its entirety or in chunks as small as 6,270 square feet.
“Manufacturing companies, supply and distribution, construction servicing – air conditioning, plumbing, electrical companies – more fitness and recreational users, you name it,” Thibaut said of the expected tenant mix. “A lot of it has to do with the location, right off the interstate. If you can name any industrial user, they’re looking at it.”
Michael Quarto, owner of Q Fitness, is looking at it. He founded Q Fitness in Westchester, Pennsylvania, grew to 10 locations and then downsized to one. He’s planning to establish his brand in Southwest Florida after relocating to Babcock Ranch.
The official name is Q Fitness: A Real American Gym.
Mickey Alessio
David Dorsey
“Any gym that made it out of COVID, that’s the real American gym,” Quarto said. His concept is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The business model requires about 500 members to work, and Quarto said he could get that at a prime location like I-75 and 82.
The intersection has an average daily traffic count of 118,000 along I-75 and 51,000 along State Road 82.
“I like how the doors open up,” Quarto said. “That brings in the natural light. It has high ceilings. Right now, we’re a sophisticated gym but rough around the edges. I love how it’s right off 75. It’s like having a giant billboard.”
The building measures almost 1,000-feet long and is about 135 feet wide. It sits on land that originally was slated to become a Buc-ee’s convenience store and gas station.
Mickey Alessio, president of Alessio Holdings, began his foray into Lee County in 2022, when he also bought the Richards Building in downtown Fort Myers for $2 million and Royal Palm Square for $12 million.
Royal Palm Square has been almost entirely razed as Alessio plans to redevelop the property into medical care, day care, multifamily residences, restaurants, a hotel and more.
“This is mixed use, too, but in a different way,” said Alessio of Alessio Trade Center. He already has sold some of the 159 acres to become one finished apartment complex with another in planning stages.
“This was about creating jobs,” Alessio said. “They bring the residents. They bring the jobs. We estimate we’re generating $500 million in economic impact. Construction costs are 60 to 70% of that value.”
In July, Alessio paid $5 million for about 20 acres fronting Daniels Parkway, just east of JetBlue Park, spring training home of the Boston Red Sox. There, another phase of Alessio’s Lee County projects will take shape with a smaller warehouse, condominiums and The Learning Experience, a school.
“All of our projects feed off each other,” Alessio said. “They’re synergistic.”