Land dispute solved as Fort Myers City Council, developer get greenlight for apartment project

Three feet of land was a big discussion point at Monday’s Fort Myers City Council meeting.

On the northern end of Bay Street in downtown Fort Myers, part of a parking lot used to be part of Vivas Court. A small strip of that land, 38 inches long and 5 inches wide, to be exact, has put a stop to a major construction project.

A 63-unit apartment complex called The Iriving was meant to be built there. But to build the apartments, the developer and the City of Fort Myers would need approval from the Vivia family. On Monday, they got that approval.

Joseph Vivas was a cattleman who built homes in and around Fort Myers in the 1900s. That plot of land still belongs to his descendants.

That’s why everyone involved in the project wants to respect, protect and preserve this small piece of land.

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