Debris, rubble litters downtown Fort Myers as area becomes DeSantis’ command center

Downtown Fort Myers saw a catastrophic storm surge like other areas of Southwest Florida when Ian came onshore.

The Caloosahatchee was raised by close to 20 feet and flooded the businesses downtown. Nearby homes took on water.

Almost a week later, debris still lines the sidewalks.

Piles of rubble remain in front of storefronts on First Street. Store lights are off and there is no indication of what is to come.

The few businesses that are open are swamped.

The small Italian eatery, Bruno’s of Brooklyn, has been a sweet spot for many, slinging hot meals of pasta for anyone who needs a plate.

Many others are trying to fill the void left by businesses that remain closed.

The Luminary Hotel, which lost its “U” to Ian, will begin to house first responders.

“We found our U,” Joe Collier told WINK News.

It was in the water of the retention pond next door to the hotel.

Collier, the owner of the Luminary, said jokingly that they are thinking of using it for a slogan.

The mystery is solved. That’s where the U was.

Joe Collier – the owner of the Luminary and Co. spoke with me today because his hotel is hosting first responders from all over.

He also told me it will serve as Gov. Ron DeSantis’s command center. #fortmyers #hurricaneian #ian https://t.co/GjOSQNYh24 pic.twitter.com/bSubCdWK9r

— Annette Montgomery (@AnnettemTV) October 4, 2022

“The hotel is open; all we need is U,” Collier said.

The hotel will also serve as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ command center. DeSantis has held daily press conferences, often multiple times a day, since Ian struck Florida.

Leaders with the Luminary Hotel and Co said all of the rooms are occupied by agencies who are focused on emergency response to restore the area’s power and infrastructure as quickly as possible.

Collier said the hotel would be its headquarters for the next several months.

“We are happy to have them here and be a part of it,” Collier said. “We are grateful that we’ve been able to open this hotel … The fact we’ve got this hotel open and were able to help the governor and help the city, that’s what we wanted to do. We want to feed people, we wanted to give them a place to come and sleep with air conditioning.”

While first responders will move into the Luminary, it’s unclear how long it will take Fort Myers to regain its downtown to its full strength.

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Elsewhere in Fort Myers, the city told residents its golf courses would be closed until further notice.

“For your safety, please do not enter the ground,” the city said on Facebook.

There are other hotels in the area that are helping out by donating 50% of their proceeds to St. Matthew’s House. You can find a full list below.

https://winknews.com/wp-content/uploads/Hurricane-Ian-Relief-2022-all-properties-FINAL.pdf