Council sets public hearing for $11.5M News‑Press site sale after public pleas for workforce housing

The City Council voted to advertise a public hearing on March 3, 2025, for a purchase-and-sale agreement between the City of Fort Myers (seller) and Catalyst Community Development LLC (buyer) offering $11,500,000 for about 9.84 acres of the former News‑Press site and an adjacent former fire station site in the Downtown CRA.

Public commenters from community groups pushed the council to secure affordable and workforce housing requirements before approving a sale. Lana Cowell of the League of Women Voters said a prior developer proposal had reserved at least 100 units for essential workers and cited conflicting appraisals from previous negotiations. "The proposed complex of more than 600 apartments was to reserve at least 100 of the spaces for workers..." she said. Dottie Morrison of Lee Interfaith warned the currently proposed project ‘‘will be 600 more high dollar apartments’’ and urged the council to seek a developer who will provide units that working Fort Myers residents can afford.

During council discussion, members emphasized the need for enforceable development contingencies, reversion provisions if development does not occur as intended, and clarity about the development order. The city manager explained the agenda item is the purchase-and-sale agreement and that a development agreement ‘‘most likely will be on the next agenda for permission to advertise’’ so the acquisition and development documents will coincide. Several council members asked that the development agreement include affordable-housing components and timelines.

The council approved the motion to advertise the public hearing with no recorded opposition on the floor. The public hearing is scheduled for 03/03/2025, at which the purchase-and-sale agreement and a linked development agreement are expected to be considered together. Members of the public asked that any sales agreement be made available to the public before the hearing.