FORT MYERS, Fla. — Residents of Fort Myers are taking their opposition to a proposed hotel expansion from social media to the streets, preparing to canvass neighborhoods this weekend ahead of a crucial city council vote.
The "Stop the Godzilla Hotel" Facebook group, created by Art Hamel, has organized efforts to prevent the city from approving two additional stories to a proposed hotel in the downtown historic district. The developer is requesting to increase the height from nine to 11 stories, adding approximately 35 more rooms, which would make it a 175-room hotel plan for the lot on Jackson and First Street.
Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report:
"The city has already approved a nine-story hotel for this lot, and they're asking for two more stories, about 40 more rooms, and that's just too much," Hamel said.
The proposed hotel has sparked concerns about its compatibility with the historic character of downtown Fort Myers. Hamel argues the building's scale doesn't align with the surrounding architecture.
"I would like them to go ahead and find an alternate area, because nine is also not commensurate with the rest of First Street," Hamel said.
Parking remains a significant concern for opponents. The developers' attorney Terry Cramer previously stated they have a parking agreement with the city for 60 spots and access to a parking garage behind the building. However, critics worry about the impact on downtown parking availability.
Gina Sabiston, chair of the Historic Preservation Committee, which initially approved the nine-story concept, expressed concerns about the project's evolution.
"This hotel is everywhere USA. You could pick up this hotel design and drop it any place in the country, in any modern city, and it would look at home. But for our historic district, it needs to be something special," Sabiston said.
When asked about alternative proposals, Sabiston mentioned unofficial discussions about a potential land swap.
"Well, I did hear a rumor, unofficial, that there were some considerations of maybe a land swap this hotel would likely be more appropriate, in my opinion, on the waterfront versus in the downtown historic district," Sabiston said.
The Historic Preservation Committee initially supported the project when it included significant architectural features honoring the historic district. However, she says subsequent design changes stripped away many of those elements while requesting additional height.
"When you look at Fort Myers, we have the largest concentration of historic buildings in all of Southwest Florida," Sabiston said. "Historic tourism brings over $4 billion to the state of Florida every year. We have something very special here."
Hamel and his supporters plan to distribute informational flyers throughout Fort Myers neighborhoods over the three-day weekend, encouraging residents to attend the city council meeting on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
"We are canvassing neighborhoods with that flyer," Hamel said. "Tuesday is D Day. They're going to make a decision on this hotel," Hamel said. "Show up at that meeting. Tell them what you think."
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