FORT MYERS, Fla. — After three long years, Fort Myers residents are finally witnessing the removal of a damaged boat that has served as a constant reminder of Hurricane Ian's destruction at what will become Legacy Harbour Marina.
Jojo Edens, a resident of High Point Place, expressed the excitement felt throughout her community as crews began the removal process Tuesday morning.
"I got up excited to see the barge and the crane out on the river, and they're finally going to take the boat out that's been sitting there since Hurricane Ian," Edens said. "We're all elated. I'm at High Point Place, and everybody's watching, like, a movie from their windows in the high rise. It's like, it's great, it's so exciting."
The boat removal comes as part of Legacy Harbour's extensive redevelopment of the marina property. Edens noted that a group of local women had been working with the city for years to address the eyesore.
"We have a group of ladies here that have been working with the city and trying to see what we can do to get it moving, and it's just been a long process," Edens said. "It's the only one that's been left there for all these years."
The removal marks a significant milestone in the transformation of the waterfront property. Legacy Harbour's modernization plans include 131 slips ranging from 40 to 150 feet, incorporating Bellingham Marine's Unifloat concrete wave attenuator system supported by 70-foot steel piles.
The redesign will feature interior slips with a Unideck aluminum frame dock system and WearDeck synthetic decking. Planned infrastructure upgrades include new utilities such as potable water, in-slip pump-out, fire suppression, fiberglass dock boxes, and both single- and three-phase power.
Spanning approximately 13 acres of riverfront, Legacy Harbour will offer direct access to the Gulf of Mexico and sits within walking distance of the Fort Myers River District.
For residents like Edens, the development represents hope for the area's future.
"It looks like they're planning to do a great build here with high rise and shops and all," Edens said. "So it'd be a great development for the city. So we're excited to watch and see the future grow."
The boat removal process was expected to continue throughout the day, with many residents planning to watch the operation from their windows.
Legacy Harbour has not yet responded to requests for additional details regarding the timeline for the complete removal of the vessel.
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