Lee County commissioners have pulled off one of the slickest deals since the Dutch snatched up Manhattan Island.

Get this: $5.6 million for 3 acres in the heart of the Fort Myers Beach business district. For this the public gets some of the finest beachfront property in Southwest Florida and a shopping center to boot.

A few years ago there were plans for a busy development of motel rooms, shopping and parking to be dumped into a downtown district already a traffic engineer’s nightmare.

But that was before the economy did a Humpty Dumpty off the wall. Sad for the investors, a blessing for those who take a shine to sand, sun and itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikinis.

Believe it or not, the deal was not a foregone conclusion. Proposed more than a year ago by Commissioner Frank Mann with support by Ray Judah, it was passed on to the county staff with a “take a look at it” direction.

Those who wanted the property in public hands chewed on their fingernails while bottom feeders sucked up bargains around the county.

In fairness to the commissioners, it wasn’t as simple as sticking a hand in the county till and whipping out enough long green to close the deal. Times are hard. There have been employee layoffs, project delays, plunging revenue and the future looking as happy as a funeral. And don’t even think about what might be coming at us from the Gulf of Mexico in oil or hurricanes, or both.

Nor did all the people at the Beach rejoice at the prospect of government purchase of the property. Some reacted as if a dead rat had been dropped in the pantry.

They said the county shouldn’t waste prime high-rise property on park foolishness.

After all, just imagine the buckets of tax dollars that would slip through government’s greedy paws.

And some Beach merchants lusted for hordes of motel patrons packing the bars and restaurants, not to mention lucrative business in sunglasses, towels, tanning lotion and “I lost my——-on Fort Myers Beach” T shirts. But the commissioners followed the light and the public won out. So far.

The biggest hurdle is past, but what comes next could be messier than a mud pull.

The decisions could affect all of Lee County. While Fort Myers Beach is home to those with house numbers here, it likewise is a playground to residents of Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Tice, North Fort Myers, Pine Island and places beyond.

There will be no dearth of ideas for dressing the new doll. Some see it as a golden opportunity for rerouting the traffic onto the island. Some envision a shiny new parking garage. Part could be sold off when the economy recovers or a new city hall has been suggested for the site.

Some will clamor for picnic tables, restrooms, playground equipment, volleyball and hot dog stands. Even county commissioners and members of the town council might differ on the proper use of the property.

All of which is a warning to tread carefully toward what is one of the most important developments ever to land on Fort Myers Beach. Evil done in haste can be most difficult to undo.

Soon, the county commission and town council should appoint members of a committee to map out the future of the entire new acquisition. But the beachfront parcel should be opened now. The 378-foot part fronting the water already is heavily used and should remain that way.

The open parcel behind the seawall should be blessed right away with some nice shade trees and landscaping to beckon those who want a cool place to land a lawn chair or blanket. Otherwise, leave this strip open and preserve that breathtaking vista that greets visitors as they descend the bridge.

And when it’s all done they can put a plaque somewhere with the commissioners’ names on it. They did good work here and history will smile on them for it.

Source: Fort Myers News Press – Joe Workman

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