FORT MYERS. FLA. — Legacy Harbour Marina in downtown Fort Myers is set for a major transformation, nearly three years after Hurricane Ian left it in ruins. New renderings reveal a modern design that has the community excited about its return.
My FOX 4 team has been following this story since the storm, and as your Fort Myers community correspondent, I can tell you, the newest concept renderings show a dramatic change from what it used to be.
Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report:
Jamie McKenzie, who has worked at Steve B's Waterfront Cafe across the street from the marina for 10 years, was impressed by the new design.
"Wow, that is serious. I've never seen anything like it, right? That's big. That's huge," McKenzie said.
Steve Brantner, owner of Steve B Waterfront Cafe, remembers when the marina was thriving with boats and a hotel before Hurricane Ian hit in September 2022. He saw the designs and loved it.
"It's gonna be like a Miami look for Fort Myers," Brantner said.
Ian brought devastating winds and record-breaking storm surge, making it the costliest hurricane to impact Florida with more than $112 billion in damage, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
"It became a ghost town. We didn't have any more boats. We lost the loopers, that's a big boat club organization that travels from all over the United States," Brantner said.
AIRN Management, has partnered with Bellingham Marine to lead the redevelopment. Its said in a press release that construction began in early 2025, with the marina projected to reopen in the first quarter of 2026.
The new design will feature 131 slips ranging from 40 to 150 feet, incorporating Bellingham Marine's Unifloat concrete wave attenuator system supported by 70-foot steel piles driven into the seabed. Interior slips will use an Unideck aluminum frame dock system with WearDeck synthetic decking for enhanced protection and stability.
Rick Budd, Chief Executive Officer of AIRN Management, emphasized the marina's importance to the community.
"This marina has always played an important role in the Fort Myers boating community," Budd said. "We're committed to restoring Legacy Harbour in a way that not only honors its history, but brings in modern improvements and safeguards for the future."
The upgraded facility will include modern amenities such as potable water, in-slip pump-out systems, fire suppression, fiberglass dock boxes, and both single- and three-phase power. Larger steel pipe piles with HDPE sleeves will improve durability and reduce maintenance costs.
Matt Hedman, lives in the same neighborhood as the marina. He believes a retail component could benefit a local economy. FOX 4 is working to confirm what the two towers in front of the marina will be used for.
"It's gonna bring economy there, because people are gonna spend money," Hedman said.
The City of Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson weighed in on the redevelopment plans in a statement:
"The City of Fort Myers is thrilled to see the continued progress at Legacy Harbour Marina. This project will bring new life to our downtown waterfront, providing long-term benefits for residents, visitors, and our boating community. This redevelopment also strengthens our economy by expanding the tax base and supporting growth that will serve the city well into the future."
- Mayor Kevin Anderson, City of Fort Myers
Brantner, who has operated his waterfront cafe for over 22 years, described the marina's former glory days when it had 150 boat slips and a 42-unit hotel.
"We had a marina building selling yachts and things like that, you know, so it had been here for the longest time," Brantner said.
McKenzie recalled how the marina was a regular stop for boaters traveling Florida's west coast.
"We met most of the people who came through. They'd come in, they'd stop in Steve B's, which is iconic. And they would stop in and be surprised how homey it was," McKenzie said.
The hurricane's impact was devastating for the boating community. McKenzie described the aftermath as resembling "a war zone" with boats crushed by other vessels or left stranded on land.
"Everyone lost everything, so their boats were crushed by other boats, or they were on land. They were under the water," McKenzie said.
Legacy Harbour spans approximately 13 acres along the Caloosahatchee River, including 8 acres of submerged land and 4.6 upland acres. The companies working on this redevelopment say its prime riverfront location offers direct access to the Gulf of Mexico and walkable access to the Fort Myers River District.
The marina is located at 2044 West First Street and operates under a lease with the City of Fort Myers. The property was previously owned by the Sullivan family for 75 years before being sold to AIRN Management just months before Hurricane Ian struck.
Brantner is already making plans for when the marina reopens, including purchasing a boat slip for what he calls his future "party boat" for sunset booze cruises.
"When I get my boat slip over here, I'm gonna be a boat guy," Brantner said. "We'll bring all those loopers back to town. They're wanting to come to Southwest Florida, because this is where it's happening."
The redevelopment represents a significant investment in Fort Myers' waterfront future, with the new design expected to accommodate more boats than the original marina while incorporating hurricane-resistant features.
Slip reservations are expected to open approximately 6 months prior to the first-quarter 2026 opening.
For information about future slip availability, contact Eric Ravenschlag at EricR@airnmanagement.com. More information is available at fmlegacyharbour.com.
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