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Arches Bayfront hotel project at Moss Marina resubmitted

By Nathan Mayberg - Editor | Nov 22, 2023

Moss Marina continues to house the U.S. Coast Guard. File photo

More than a month after The Arches Bayfront project at Moss Marina on Fort Myers Beach was put on hold, Moss Marina owner Ben Freeland said the three-hotel development has been resubmitted to the town for planning review.

Freeland had previously cited a recent joint meeting of the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council and Local Planning Agency regarding the town’s comprehensive plan in explaining the decision to pull back the application.

“After a thorough review we are confident we have the right plan and re-activated our CPD application and look forward to working with the LPA and Council as we proceed,” Freeland said Wednesday.

Moss Marina is situated on the bay downtown near Matanzas Pass.

Freeland had submitted two applications to the town for the bayside project including a map amendment which would include the Arches Bayfront properties in the Pedestrian Commercial future land use, and another application which would entitle the properties under a Commercial Planned Development (CPD) with uses of hotel, marina, restaurant, retail and civic spaces.

A drawing of what the Arches Bayfront redevelopment of Moss Marina would look like with three hotels. Drawings provided courtesy of IWPR Group and DPZ CoDesign.

Freeland held a meeting with the public earlier this year to discuss the project and solicited public opinion online, in which traffic concerns were raised for the downtown site. Freeland had incorporated a water ferry friendly development as part of the feedback and a publicly accessible bayfront park.”

Freeland has proposed three hotels at the Moss Marina site which would range in size from 150 rooms each for two of the hotels that will have mid-range and extended stays. A third hotel, which Freeland described as a boutique hotel, would be smaller with 100 rooms. Two of the hotels would be six stories high and another hotel would be five stories.

Under the redevelopment plans, the four-acre bayfront property overseeing Matanzas Pass and the bay would open up access to pedestrians and bicyclists along a 1,000-feet linear park overlooking the bay down to Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant, Bayside Park and Nervous Nellie’s. Freeland envisions spots along the baywalk being opened up to vendors. He is also exploring options for restaurants and shops.

Water ferries, waterboats, kayaks and charter boats would also be welcome at the marina with a focus on water ferries, or water taxis, in order to facilitate more efficient travel on and off the island. Freeland said he has spoken with other businesses and marinas about coordinating ferry service.

“I am hopeful a compromise position can be found between supporters of the project and those who feel it needs to be scaled down a bit,” Fort Myers Beach Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt said.

The owners of Moss Marina want to build a walkway which will connect their property (in the background) over the water to neighboring Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant, Bayside Park and Nervous Nellie's, giving the public an opportunity to walk along the bay,. Photo by Nathan Mayberg

Freeland also purchased Smokin’ Oyster Brewery on Old San Carlos Boulevard, which he hopes to rebuild and reopen next summer. He said there are also expansion plans for RUDE Shrimp Co, which rents property from Freeland near Moss Marina.

Freeland is also planning to expand its drystack storage with up to 90 additional slips and can handle wetslips at its marina.

“Equally as exciting, we have received approval to rebuild our 90 dry-stack boat storage system and our brand new forklift the Beast can handle up to 50-feet long boats and up to 29,000 pounds,” Freeland said.

Moss Marina has also continued to host the U.S. Coast Guard station while their new Fort Myers Beach station is rebuilt.