No new movies in Beach Theater plans
Fort Myers Beach LPA approves restaurant, entertainment proposal which requires town council approval
The Beach Theater will no longer be a movie theater under plans going in front of the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council next month. The plans now include a restaurant, steakhouse and live entertainment indoors and outdoors at the former movie complex at 6425 Estero Boulevard.
The Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency voted to recommend approval of the plans at a site which became the center of great controversy on Fort Myers Beach after Hurricane Ian, when mangroves were illegally removed by the property’s owners.
The town fined the owners and the contractors over the removal of the mangroves and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been working on a consent order with the owners of the property. The DEP has approved a permit for the owners to do work on the docks near where the mangroves were. The owners are also required to replant new mangroves.
Mangroves are a major source of concern for neighbors who count on them for protection during storm, like after Hurricane Ian.
According to DEP records, 273 square feet of unauthorized mangrove removal occurred at the site in February of 2023. Red and black mangroves were removed without a permit, violating state statutes. The mangrove removal included some that were on the property of the Town of Fort Myers Beach.
Steve Boge purchased the Beach Theater property at 6425 Estero Blvd. in 2022 with a group of investors known as 4148 LLC based in Naples.
In a letter to the LPA, town resident Christine Madden said as part of the original approvals for the Beach Theater, the mangroves were never to be touched.
In her letter, Madden opposed the proposal to allow outdoor music at the theater.
The LPA voted to approve several deviations and variances for the property with conditions. Town planning staff had recommended denial of allowing outdoor music at the theater as well as another variance to decrease the required number of parking spaces from 115 to 33.
LPA member John McClean was the lone vote against the deviation allowing a variance from the town’s Local Development Code to allow the outdoor live entertainment.
Several Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency members disclosed they had all met privately with representatives of The Neighborhood Company, who is representing the Beach Theater. Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency Chair Anita Cereceda said she had not met with The Neighborhood Company or their owner Patrick Vanasse, a former member of the Local Planning Agency.
The plans were presented by The Neighborhood Company, led by Patrick Vanasse. Vanasse said the new Beach Theater will have a casual restaurant on the ground floor, tabletop games and cornhole, a second floor with a steakhouse and some office space and storage space. There would be live music and entertainment indoors and outdoors. Vanasse formerly sat on the LPA.
Town planner Judith Frankel recommend the LPA deny the request for outdoor live music which could be considered an intrusion into residential neighborhood. Frankel recommended approval of the indoor music.
Vanasse said there would be no more movies shown at the theater on a regular basis though in response to a request from some in the community, Vanasse said a projector would sometimes be made available to show old films on a wall.
“We’re all going to be a little sad to see it (as a movie theater) go,” Vanasse said. “Unfortunately due to the storm but also due to economics associated with theatres nowadays it’s a very challenging business. We don’t think it’s the highest and best use. We believe that restaurants with some entertainment will much better serve the south end of the island. We are all going to be sad to see it go.”
Vanasse said the renovated theater could also have a stage.
In regards to the removal of the mangroves, Vanasse said there was a “bit of a snafu” with the mangroves, which needed a local development order. Vanasse, who was not involved in the project at the time the mangroves were removed, said there was “miscommunication” between the environmental consultant and the ownership group. “They thought they were all good with the state approvals” but didn’t have the local development order.
Vanasse said the owners now have a permit to do work on the docks and will replant mangroves and will maintain them at 36 inches.
LPA member James Boan called for limiting music to singles and duos, which Vanasse agreed to.
Jim Dunlap, a member of the Fort Myers Beach LPA who lives next to the theater on Egret St., said he supports the project at the Beach Theater.
“For me on the street, literally the closest house, we’ve waited a long time for this to come alive. This building is important to our neighborhood,” Dunlap said. “Sitting there empty is a whole different statement than what you are proposing today.”
LPA board member John McClean, who also lives nearby, said the developers have missed an opportunity to communicate with the community about the project.
“There has been a huge, missed opportunity in outreach to the neighborhood and the community I will say for months and years now, even to the point of our councilmembers reaching out to get updates,” McLean said. “There has been very little communication and that’s concerning only because there was a request that Patrick made that said ‘give us some grace’ and that to me is ‘trust us.’ And that trust factor in my mind is something that is built over time.”
McLean said overall he liked the concept but said he was concerned about parking and the developers saying they don’t intend to have a sports bar but haven’t ruled it out.
The Beach Theater had been a longtime movie theater with four screens for new films and was the annual home of the Fort Myers Beach Film Festival until the property was sold in 2022 before Hurricane Ian.
The Beach Theater will go in front of the town council for approval on Aug. 4.