Winkler Avenue corridor back in developer spotlight

Developers have turned their attention back to land near the Winkler Avenue and Colonial Boulevard intersection as vacant land is snapped up and prices climb at hot spots farther south.

Land near that intersection began drawing builders' focus years ago, just as the housing bubble burst. A fenced and shuttered clubhouse in the middle of a planned but abandoned apartment complex north and west of the intersection serves as a recession memorial to all who drive by.

But building sites on both sides of Colonial now are overshadowing the grim reminder. More are likely on the way, said Randy Thibaut, CEO of Fort Myers-based Land Solutions.

As building has regained momentum post-recession, development fired up first in Naples, then south Lee County, then south Fort Myers along the Daniels Parkway corridor and now, as prices climb in those neighborhoods, it has again reached the Colonial corridor, Thibaut said.

"For your middle America buyers, move up buyers who want to buy a home in the $250,000 to $350,000 range, that is a hot location," said Thibaut, who has brokered land deals for several projects in the vicinity. "You can buy a home along that stretch near Colonial and be close to I-75 and everything else for what the prices in Cape Coral are starting to be."

Thibaut's group brokered the land now being developed by D.R. Horton as the Lindsford community of townhomes and single-family homes priced from about $200,000 to about $400,000.

"Buyers today have many choices and continue to look for good value, while considering location, product and price," said Jonathon Pentecost, division president of D.R. Horton Southwest Florida. "Being located near I‐75 and U.S. 41, Lindsford offers an outstanding location."

And sales are also strong south of Colonial along Winkler in the Watermark community developed by Neal Communities, regional president Michael Greenberg said.

"We are getting a lot of family buyers as well as empty nesters," said Greenberg, who said homes there range from about $200,000 to about $400,000. "We have closed buyers there since the spring, but we haven't actually been through a (peak) season yet and we are really excited to see what that is going to bring."

Southwest Florida's peak winter visitor season, which typically stretches from just after the holidays through the first quarter, also brings additional real estate buyers to the area.

Watermark features about 293 home sites on about 100 acres and include amenities such as tennis courts, fitness center, resort pool and a dog park.

Jonathan Richards, of CRE Consultants, said the extensive commercial development along Six Mile Cypress/Ben C. Pratt Parkway and at the I-75 interchange have made the area around Winkler Avenue even more attractive to buyers.

"It's becoming the heart of central Fort Myers with a very diverse assortment of commercial development there," Richards said. "All of that activity is coming together now after it had stalled for so long."

The stalled project north of Colonial is on land now owned by Venetian Multi-Family LLC, according to county property records. Managers of the group, based in Fort Lauderdale, did not return requests for comment.