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Council approves sale and development agreement for former News-Press site after developer explains site constraints
Summary
Council voted to sell the 9.84-acre former News-Press site to Catalyst Community Development LLC for $11,000,500 and approved a related development agreement after the developer cited an active railroad spur and buried stormwater line that justify a six‑month due‑diligence period and an 18‑month approval window.
The Fort Myers City Council voted to approve a purchase-and-sale agreement and a companion development agreement with Catalyst Community Development LLC for roughly 9.84 acres of downtown property formerly occupied by the News-Press and Old Fire Station No. 1.
The sale price is $11,000,500. During a public hearing and subsequent council discussion, developer Joe Benor said the site is more complicated than it appears, citing, "we've discovered that there is a railroad spur that's on the property that cannot be moved" and a stormwater line that "runs underneath the adjacent property and the news press site, that can't be built upon." Benor said those findings are among reasons Catalyst sought a six-month due-diligence period and an 18-month development-approval window to complete necessary engineering and agency coordination.
Several nearby property owners and potential co-developers asked the council to consider short extensions so parties could explore combining adjacent parcels for a larger, coordinated plan. Councilmembers debated the length and financial protections in the contract; Councilmember Berson pressed for a larger nonrefundable deposit if the buyer controls the property for an extended period. Catalyst indicated it would increase staged deposits if additional extensions were requested.
Councilmember Bong moved the purchase-and-sale approval; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with a majority in favor and Councilmember Watson dissenting. The motion also authorized the development agreement that defines the development-approval period and related conditions. According to council backup, if significant site constraints are discovered during due diligence Catalyst may choose not to proceed and deposits are handled per contract terms.
What happens next: Catalyst plans geotechnical and permitting work during the due-diligence window and to submit site plans to city staff. The development agreement includes timelines for development approval; if approvals are obtained sooner, the parties may close earlier.
