New Commercial Development Coming to Gateway

The Gateway area of Fort Myers continues to expand with plans for even more commercial development to come to the area. A majority of the latest round of development was spurred by a much-anticipated grocery store, which opened its doors only about a month and a half ago. Located within the Sky Walk Shopping Center, the Publix grocery store sits between the airport and Gateway, on land belonging to the Lee County Airport Authority. While the Publix is an anchor store for the development, it will also soon include other retailers and businesses, from an Allstate to a dry cleaner. In addition, another building in the same area will offer new restaurants and more. Meanwhile, early next year a new daycare is set to open on Gateway Boulevard. Creative World School is under development right now, just south of the location of a future fire station. The estimated $1.75 million project aims to bring a new approach to learning to the Fort Myers community, with a unique setting that fosters the development of young children. Meanwhile, Southwest Florida International Airport is in line for a new office park development. Skyplex is planning for 250,000 square feet of office space as part of phase one of a land lease. Some of that will include an expansion of Gartner, a large global tech consultancy company that already operates just across from Sky Walk. In all, Skyplex includes more than 800 acres of real estate for non-aviation usage. It’s currently targeted for office complexes, technology and medical centers, regional offices and corporate headquarters. As well, it could translate to retail centers, restaurants, self-storage and hotels. The growing Gateway area is only complimented by nearby JetBlue Park, the site of spring training for the Boston Red Sox. Some credit the 2012 opening of that park as helping to increase interest in the area.