DiamondHead Beach Resort files plans for expansion on Fort Myers Beach
The Diamondhead Beach Resort has officially filed plans with the Town of Fort Myers Beach to expand its footprint at 2000 Estero Boulevard. The plans call for adding 57 rooms for a total of 178 rooms on the site.
To do so, the DiamondHead Beach Resort would build an addition to its existing 11-story building with an additional 33 units at up to 109 feet high, along with a new 10-story building with 24 new units at up to 99-feet high.
The new plans would require approval from the Town of Fort Myers Beach Council through a Commercial Planned Development rezoning process and would need eight deviations from the town’s Land Development Code.
Among the deviations are a deviation from the town’s heigh code, which limits the building to 30-feet high. The owners are seeking a deviation to allow for construction up to 13 stories and 109-feet-high.
While they are seeking the deviation for up to 13 stories, the project narrative states that “The proposed expansion remains compatible with this context, as it is contained within the existing site development
footprint and includes an addition to the existing eleven-story structure as well as a new ten-story building. The site design still allows for view corridors, thus maintaining openings for views of the Gulf and open sky. In addition, existing perimeter landscaping will be retained and enhanced as needed, ensuring continuity in buffering while improving the overall aesthetic quality of the site.”
The proposal goes on to state that the existing maximum zoned height of the DiamondHead Beach Resort is being requested, which is a total of 13 stories (12 stories over existing ground floor parking back of house operations, and restaurant) and 109-feet-high.
“The addition to the existing building will mirror the height and scale of the existing structure,
thus meeting the maximum zoned height of 13 stories,” at about 109-feet. “This addition will include 33 guest units and resort amenities situated above ground-level parking, maintaining both functional efficiency and design continuity with the original building,” the proposal states.
DiamondHead Beach Resort. Photo by Nathan Mayberg
In addition to the existing building addition, a new building is proposed on the site and will be 10 stories and floors at 99-feet-high. It will consist of eight floors of resort guest units (24 rooms total) above ground/first floor parking and a second floor recreation/amenity area for guests. “The reduced height of this building creates a complementary relationship with the primary tower while introducing variation in the overall design and reduced overall massing of the development,” the proposal states.
“The companion deviation request to the maximum zone height is to ensure a cohesive visual and architectural style across the development while allowing for a thoughtfully integrated expansion. Overall, the proposed development balances continuity with variation, maintaining the established height of the existing resort while introducing new elements that enhance functionality, aesthetics, and guest experience,” the project narrative states.
The owners are also seeking a reduction in parking requirements. The applicant proposes to provide approximately 180 parking spaces within the CPD, which is inclusive of approximately 14 valet spaces during peak seasonal or special event needs.
The original plans for the resort that were approved by Lee County before the incorporation of Town of Fort Myers Beach were for 154 units, Hopgood said.
The new construction would take place next to the resort’s existing swimming pool. This building would be along, but landward of the coastal construction line. Between the existing building and this new beachside building would be a raised second pool and deck that flows from the existing terrace deck on the lobby level, up one floor from the ground.
The new building would be located on the pool side of the hotel, facing the Surf Song Resort Condominiums at 2088 Estero Boulevard.
The current hotel at the DiamondHead Beach Resort has 121 hotel room units, including five floor of timeshare units. There are 55 timeshare units.
The new plans were submitted to the town on May 5, by The Neighborhood Company, the planning consultants for the project.
The hotel was one of the first properties to reopen after Hurricane Ian, and for a long time was the official meeting space for the town council and town advisory committees after the hurricane.
The DiamondHead which was named best resort on Fort Myers Beach by readers of the Fort Myers Beach Observer and Beach Bulletin in this year’s Best of the Beach awards. Its restaurant, Coste Island Cuisine also won best beachfront restaurant, best fine dining, and several other awards.