Resort Rentals at Cape Harbour

The News Press Tuesday, July 6, 2006

by Pete Skiba

"Anyone having a wedding at Cape Harbour could rent the homes for their guests. It is part of making Cape Harbour a destination."
- Will Stout, Realmark Development

Proposing what could be some of the smallest homes in Cape Coral, a developer is bringing a new look to an upscale development.

Will Stout of Realmark Development wants to build homes that are 500 to 750 square feet in size. That might qualify as a walk-in closet in Stout’s Cape Harbour development.

“Until it was explained to us, we wouldn’t have allowed any homes so small in the city,” said Gene Wolf, Planning and Zoning chairman. “But in this project it can work.”

Plans for the one- and two-story homes really make them more upscale than rooms at a major hotel, said Stout. The small homes would take their place on less than an acre in the 150-acre development.

The purpose of the homes, with the company name “Funky Fish Houses,” would be to supply rentals for guests of weddings, vacationers and families of people living in the development.

The 19 homes, more formally named single-family resort dwellings, will be part of the $750 million Cape Harbour development, Stout said.

“Anyone having a wedding at Cape Harbour could rent the homes for their guests,” Stout said. “It is part of making Cape Harbour a destination.”

The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the plans and pass them to the City Council for its consideration. No date has been set for council’s consideration.

Adding to the concept of funk, or a tropical look, developers plan to paint the homes in pastel colors — pink, azure and other colors. The homes will sit along the development’s waterfront. They’ll have Spanish-tiled or Florida-tin roof architecture.

The planned rental homes would have neighbors in the project’s condominium towers costing $300,000 to more than $500,000. No rental rates have been set.

Cape Harbour sits in the city’s southwest section near the intersection of Chiquita Boulevard and El Dorado Parkway West.

The funky fish houses’ two-story height would allow the eye a transition from the street to the taller buildings behind them, Stout said. That would make the planned 24-story condominium behind them seem less towering, he said.

The smaller buildings would allow the eye to drift up in stages rather than to go from ground level to 15 stories.

“This is a long way away,” said Craig Dearden, Realmark chief operating officer. “We haven’t decided whether to build the 24-story building first or the homes.”

There was also the possibility of a boat rental being included with the home rental.

But the term “rentals” became a sticking point at the zoning meeting. The city has an ordinance prohibiting one-day rentals.

An ordinance to allow the rentals could be worded as an exception to city rules when it goes to Cape Coral City Council, said Brian Bartok, assistant city attorney at the meeting.

Other problems such as traffic and parking posed no problems, said Presides Zambrano, a city transportation planner.

“We have probably exceeded what we have to legally do for parking,” Stout said.

“Both condominium towers have two floors of public parking.”

The development also will have an additional three restaurants, joining popular Rumrunners. The other restaurants could open this year.

“It is our philosophy to have Cape Harbour open to the public for all to enjoy,” Stout said. “If we don’t have enough parking we would be unsuccessful”