A new 886-acre planned village is coming with homes, shops, parks and a hotel near Florida Gulf Coast University. A Southwest Florida developer, Private Equity Group, which has also developed the Landings Yacht, Golf and Tennis Club in Fort Myers, has plans in the works to build “CenterPlace” University Village, featuring 1,950 multifamily residential units, a 250-room hotel and conference center, 170 acres of parks and open green space, shops and offices. Developers of CenterPlace propose water taxis to launch from a pier at CenterPlace to carry students, faculty and staff across two connected lakes to the beach on the north side of campus. A portion of the housing will go to FGCU students, as well as 40 acres set aside for use by the university. The community also will include a central park.
Construction of this “university village” may begin as early as mid-2015. The design includes small commercial properties, narrow streets to appeal to pedestrians and housing clustered near shops and businesses to encourage a village vibe for walking and biking. Developers aim to build this planned village as a close-knit downtown town center.
Private Equity Group has also developed Coral Point Shopping Center in addition to the Landings Yacht, Golf and Tennis Club in Fort Myers. Over the last 10 years, Private Equity Group has invested in some of the biggest land transactions in Florida. Over 5,000 acres of undeveloped parcels in Lee County from Alico Properties was purchased by Private Equity Group, which is bounded on the west by FGCU and Miromar Outlets; to the north by Alico Road and the Southwest Florida International Airport; and to the east by single-family homes. The donation of 640-acres to FGCU by the Private Equity Group will help the university expand beyond its campus borders. It will help the growing university offer more housing to its students.
If you have more immediate needs to live near FGCU, here is a resource to view homes and condos close to FGCU that are currently available for sale.