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7 things to know about Fort Myers Beach's 'functional paradise,' new damage estimates

Fort Myers News-Press

New data out Monday finds that 97% of Fort Myers Beach structures were destroyed or damaged in up to 18 feet of storm surge from Hurricane Ian's Sept. 28 historic strike.

Can the Beach become a "functional paradise" within a year?

Where does the term "functional paradise" come from?

Vice-Mayor Jim Atterholt coined it after he said those on Fort Myers Beach who were saying Hurricane Ian recovery would take about five years needed to "knock it off." Attherholt indicated making such statements are bad for business, calling it "extremely dangerous messaging" that shouldn't be said publicly. He wants residents to say the island would become a "functional paradise" within a year.

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In the Know: Fort Myers Beach damage after Hurricane Ian's devastation. Times Square was in the center. Holiday Court villas had been at the top left of the image, north of the two yellow and green buildings. Clipped and edited from USA TODAY Network video footage.

What does that mean?

Atterholt noted about a half-dozen businesses that had opened by Thanksgiving, and some others will follow by winter 2023: "You see other restaurants where significant repairs are being done," he said. "The Pink Shell, the Best Western, the DiamondHead, Lani Kai — they're not sitting on their hands. They're going to be ready, not for this season, but the following season. (The) condos on this island are going to be ready."

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What about now?

"Publix is going to be open before the end of the year. (We) have got food trucks. (This) season's going to be rough. We're not going to have a season like we normally did," Atterholt said. "Of course, we're going to have projects that are going to take years to complete, (and) there will be developments that will take longer. (Businesses) are figuring out how they open."

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In the Know: Carousel Inn on Fort Myers Beach in 2022, prior to Hurricane Ian's destruction.

What are the obstacles?

Ian ranks as the second-largest insured loss in world history, behind 2005's Hurricane Katrina, according to reinsurer Swiss Re's new analysis. At the forefront for the Beach: 2.5 million cubic yards of debris, well more than Lee County after 2017's Hurricane Irma and New York City after 2012's Hurricane Sandy, and enough to fill the Empire State Building almost twice. About 25% of that amount has been collected.

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Teresa Thompson a volunteer with Keep Lee County Beautiful picks up trash and debris left behind from Hurricane Ian on the south end of Fort Myers Beach at the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022. About 150 volunteers descended on the beach to clean-up. There are more clean-up efforts in the works. Information can be found on the Keep Lee County Beautiful Facebook page.

What do others say?

Federal officials have compared damage to 2018's Hurricane Michael hit on a much smaller Panhandle town that's 40% rebuilt after four years. "It just takes time, especially when you want to do it right," Mexico Beach Administrator Douglas Baber said. Added former Fort Myers Beach Mayor Ray Murphy: "Fort Myers Beach can be rebuilt in five years. That's a good goal. (I) do try to be realistic when it comes to big things like that."

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In the Know: Fort Myers Beach damage after Hurricane Ian's devastation. Times Square was at the bottom center. Holiday Court villas had been in the gap between the two yellowish buildings on the left of the image. Clipped and edited from USA TODAY Network video footage.

What are the overall estimates on Fort Myers Beach's damage?

Well more than $90 million is anticipated for its publicly managed entities, according to new data Monday. John Ward, the state-assigned Beach consultant, said $75 million has been tallied so far, which is 80% of the final total before "some costs we're waiting for" are added. More than 3,100 of 3,200 structures were destroyed or damaged. "You guys have seen probably one of the more impressive storm surges of varying levels of eight to 18 feet," Ward said.

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This parking lot near Naples Park flooded late Wednesday but by Thursday morning, the water had drained, leaving behind mud and debris.

What are the bigger ticket items for Fort Myers Beach?

"Obviously, you've had a lot of damages in roads and bridges. We're looking at a cost estimate of $30-plus million in damage (for) those," Ward said Monday, adding other damage estimates such as:

Water control facilities: just over $4 million
Public equipment and buildings: about $8.9 million
Public utilities: about $13.2 million
Parks and rec: $1.5 million

He expected much of the costs to be covered through federal and state funding.

Based at the Naples Daily News, Columnist Phil Fernandez (pfernandez@gannett.com), who grew up in Southwest Florida, writes In the Know as part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Support Democracy and subscribe to a newspaper.