The Freeland Group will go before the Fort Myers Beach Town council Monday for their first of 2 public hearings to present their plan to completely remake 5 acres of property they own under the Matanzas Pass Bridge. If approved, The Arches will transform the area from a somewhat sleepy boatyard to a bustling hub of activity with hotels, restaurants, shops, a pedestrian plaza and a bayfront promenade that replaces “stark, dry storage barns with attractive coastal architecture.”
One year ago Moss Marina owner Ben Freeland saw the writing on the wall and pulled The Arches redevelopment project before it could be rejected. He went back to the drawing board, hired The Neighborhood Company, and knocked off 140 rooms.
Last month the Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency unanimously approved the revised Arches plan. The Freeland family has owned the property adjacent to Snug Harbor restaurant for decades as a marina with big boat barn buildings. Over time additional parcels have been purchased to grow the amount of property for this development…