North Fort Myers economy set to boom Story & Photography by

Chuck Ballaro

Thousands of new roofs going up, construction happening at some of the commercial areas that need it the most, and, of course, Starbucks

These and many other exciting developments are on the horizon for North Fort Myers in the not-so-distant future, and it will drive the economy for the rest of northern Lee County.

That is what John Talmage, of the Lee County Economic Development Office, told business leaders at a recent North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce Business Awards luncheon held at Gulf Coast Village in Cape Coral

For years, North Fort Myers has been seen as a blank canvas as it is one of the last areas in Lee County not yet developed

That is very quickly changing as new homes have been going up at a fast clip which, in turn, should spark commercial development beyond storage units and dollar stores.

“There are going to be 10,000 new homes built in North Fort Myers alone and 86,000 throughout the county, and we need more commercial, a better balance of retail and restaurants to all the new homes,” Talmage said

Entrada, Del Webb and Bridgewater are the big residential developments sprouting up in North Fort Myers, with many more in the pipeline

For that, Merchants Crossing has started its mixed-use project, which will include 279 multi-family dwelling units in four fourstory buildings which will be connected by pedestrian paths to the collection of stores already on-site. Amenities for new residents will include a clubhouse, pool, and public plazas

The Hancock Bridge Square Plaza is approaching a wrecking ball, to be replaced by apartment complexes, some commercial and a large health care facility

The Hancock Bridge Apartments development is planned for 320 multi-family residential units within eight buildings with heights of three or four stories. A clubhouse and other residential amenities are also proposed, including a high-end gymnasium with a restaurant.

“North Fort Myers is one of the most underserved areas for healthcare in the state, especially behavioral health,” Talmage said The average is one health professional for every 250 residents Here, it’s one for every 900 ”

As for the job market, there are 25,000 jobs available in Lee County, with only about 9,000 seeking work, Talmage said The participation rate is low, with only 55 percent of the population in the workforce and thousands between the ages of 16 and 24 on the sidelines wondering what to do with themselves.

Talmage said there are schools that can get people into the medical field or the trades that can put young people to work immediately for good wages, since both are badly needed and don’t need a four-year degree

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