Hurricane Recovery

Between COVID19 and Hurricane Ian, the Southwest Florida commercial real estate market has seen very erratic the last few years. Southwest Florida Business Today Publisher Karen Moore takes a look at the most recent trends.

Commissioner Ruane called for resiliency what he got was more density and intensity

Fire and police officials from Fort Myers Beach and Marco Island received checks Tuesday that will help them cover the cost of new equipment, some of which is to replace what was lost or damaged in Hurricane Ian.

The funds, awarded via the Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant Program, program administered by FloridaCommerce, provides funding for counties, cities and regional planning councils to plan and develop strategies for economic development, protect environmentally sensitive areas, and assist with disaster recovery and resiliency planning.

Among the funds is $2 million for Lee County Working Waterfront repairs, $500,000 towards public boat ramp repairs and $500,000 to the Pine Island Beacon of Hope Organization to continue their work in supporting local businesses and self-employed contractors.

The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to waive tolls on the Sanibel Causeway for the next six Sundays in support of the “Savor the Shore” campaign organized by the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau.

Cape Coral is seeking community members to be part of a stakeholder group that will help shape the future of the Yacht Club which was damaged from Hurricane Ian.

The Alliance for the Arts will commemorate the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ian with an exhibition called "Storm Stories." It will include a book that documents contributors' experiences during and following the storm as well as artworks made of post-Ian debris as well as artist's reactions to what they and the rest of us went through as a result of the storm.

Volunteers helped distribute solar-powered lights Saturday to several Southwest Florida neighborhoods hit hard by last year’s hurricane as part of the "Be The Light" initiative sponsored by Better Together.

Lee County business and community leaders recently attended a meeting led by Small Business Administration executives. It was the first report card, if you will, for local SBA management, on how the SBA has done and is doing with helping Lee County businesses get back on their feet, and to better address and manage the recovery process moving forward.