Bimini Square piques public interest

Jan 27, 2022 By CJ HADDAD 7 min read

A highly anticipated development that is to include luxury apartments, eateries, healthcare offices and a waterfront view drew a large crowd Wednesday night as more details on the venture were divulged.

Project heads of Bimini Square, a more than 500,000-square-foot site on the doorstep of Bimini Basin, discussed what residents could expect during a meet-and-greet at the Chester Street Resource Center. There was so much demand from the public, the presentation had to be repeated for a second crowd as the resource center offered little space.

Larry Nygard, president of Crown Development out of West Fargo, North Dakota, purchased the land in August of 2020. This is his third development in the Cape, the others being Cape at Savona and The Club on Pine Island. Bimini Square is set to bring new housing, Lee Health facilities, and restaurant to the city. The $80 million project is planned to be located on the west side of Bimini Basin between the water and Cape Coral Parkway, between Palm Tree Drive and Sunset Court.

“We think this is going to be a really big benefit to that west end of downtown,” Nygard said of Bimini Square. “The unique access to the water is such a key thing. We think that the high-end rental market is not being served in Cape Coral. We think there’s a chance here to deal with that in a different way. Prices on homes have just gone up — you can rent a place in here and have a beautiful seasonal home.”

Bimini Square’s residential component encompasses 280,885 square feet and will feature 198 apartments and five-story buildings.

There is to be a six-story, 150,000-square-foot parking ramp offering 504 stalls at the center of the development. Nygard said there are plans for a rooftop resort-style pool on the top floor above the garage, complete with cabanas, overlooking the Bimini Basin.

“That is the highlight amenity for the apartments with restricted access,” Nygard said. “It’ll be a beautiful spot up there.”

In addition to the garage, there will be nearly 40 surface parking spots onsite by the restaurant and health offices.

“We’re real comfortable that we have adequate parking here — it far exceeds what’s required by the codes,” Nygard said.

Apartments are branded “upscale” ranging from studio apartments to three bedrooms. Residential amenities are to include granite countertops, tile backsplash, under cabinet lights, tile walk-in shower, high-speed Internet, vinyl plank flooring, stainless steel appliances, and balcony. Some premium units will include two balconies. Apartment square footage in select units nears 1,700.

Community amenities include a pet park, pet spa, concierge, hammock cove, fire pits, outdoor lounges, fitness center, EV charging stations, open workspaces, parlor games, and a secure community.

Nygard said rents would start in the $1,700 to $3,800 range.

Bimini Square is currently in the Planned Unit Development application phase — what the developers need to get the project started. The project needs to go through two public hearings to get approval, with the process taking four to seven months.

Nygard said once they get the green light, it would take two years to complete the project, starting with the parking garage, then the apartment buildings and offices, and finally the restaurant. He added that there are plans to rebuild all new seawalls to go along with docking out back.

In terms of wildlife on the grounds, Nygard said there was a few burrowing owl burrows found during their environmental survey. He said they’ve gone through the process to remove the owls legally and that licensed handlers are ready to relocate the owls to a safe location when ready.

Plans include a traffic study to see how they can make entry and exit from Bimini Square as seamless as possible to not disturb an already busy Cape Coral Parkway.

Lee Health

Lee Health will have 78,769 square feet to their name at Bimini Square with its facilities to include inpatient and outpatient services, along with housing for medical staff.

It includes a four-story building on the corner of Palm Tree Drive and Cape Coral Parkway attached to the facility. The first two stories are designated medical office services and some hospital outpatient services, with the other two being apartments for clinical workers.

“We are really excited to be a part of this development where we can embed some health services right here where you live, work and play,” said Lee Health CFO Ben Spence. “The area is in such demand for more health services and better and more convenient access to those services.”

David Rybicki, vice president of Outpatient Services at Lee Health, said the first floor of is to include a lab draw station that will replace their current location in Big John Plaza. There also will be MRI, CT, ultrasound and X-ray services on site.

Another facet of Lee Health at Bimini Square is a pediatric rehab space where children can undergo physical and speech therapy.

“That is a high-demand service that we do not have in Cape Coral at this time,” Rybicki said. “We need about three of them in Cape Coral, and this will be the first one that we bring to the area.”

The fourth suite is to house a center for breast services where mammograms and DEXA scans can be performed. The only site in the Cape that Lee Health offers these services is in northwest Cape Coral.

Vice President of Operations for Lee Physician Group Terry Mainous detailed physician services available at the new location.

The first floor will be home to a large presence of pediatricians and advanced practice nurses caring for children, as well as pediatric behavioral medicine component.

The second floor is to include an internal medicine primary care physician group, as well as a cardiology department.

“The cardiology group is going to be able to offer in the clinic, things like Coumadin and be able to check your lab values,” Mainous said. “If you have a pacemaker, we will be able to check that pacemaker in that clinic. And we’ll have some other diagnostic equipment in that cardiology facility.”

There will be 51 exam rooms and 37 providers between the two floors.

Mainous said Lee Health is actively looking to add staff to fill roles at this new location. No urgent care services are designated for the facility.

Deep Lagoon

A 7,900-square-foot restaurant with a marine theme and warm atmosphere is to overlook Bimini Basin with indoor and outdoor seating.

The family-owned Deep Lagoon Seafood and Oyster House with locations in Fort Myers, Naples, and Marco Island, is slated to join the amenities offered at Bimini Square.

“It’s a very marine-oriented approach in the design,” said Ramon Acevedo of GMA Architects, the designers of the restaurant. “Everything is geared towards the water.”

The space is set to seat 300-plus, with 40% of available tables outdoor in a covered area. There will be a bar both indoor and outdoor, and valet parking will be offered.

“The whole concept is to bring all views towards the basin,” Acevedo said.

There will be sound absorption panels incorporated into the restaurant walls and ceilings. The site has sidewalk accessibility to all parts of Bimini Square. The Deep Lagoon is to be open for lunch and dinner.

Nygard added there are plans for a diner to join Bimini Square.

Boat access/docking

Bimini Square plans to add a dock component to their facility behind the restaurant to include space for 30-plus boats, and boats up to 50-feet. Preliminary plans are for three, 35-foot docks.

“The design of the docks is being done in conjunction with the mooring part that’s being considered in Bimini Basin,” Nygard said. “All of that is being fit together to make sure there’s adequate room for boats traveling around the basin.

“This is not a marina where you get fuel, buy bait, empty your sewer, it’s none of that. It’s designed to drive up, eat at the restaurant, go and see the clinic, park your boat walk downtown, those types of things. At the end of the night there shouldn’t be any boats parked there.”

Nygard said there is a potential for residents of Bimini Square to have overnight docking access on a short-term basis.

There will be sidewalk access to Cape Coral Parkway from the dock.

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To reach CJ HADDAD, please email news@breezenewspapers.com