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Figures confirm the boom in Estero

By LIANE SMITH (Contact)

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

With another year of record commercial growth in Estero, residents see a boost of services and stores — all within minutes of their homes.

Photo by LIANE SMITH / Banner

Estero Town Commons, on the southeast corner of Corkscrew Road and Three Oaks Parkway, is under way, with $47.5 million contributed to the 2006 tax base for the Lowe's store, which will anchor 33 acres of retail shops and restaurants.

According to the Estero Council of Community Leader's November development report, Estero's 2006 property tax base increased by $1.47 billion, bringing the total Lee County Property Appraiser's final data to $5.67 billion.

"This increase is $500 million larger than our previous highest increase recorded one year earlier in 2005. This year's growth is larger than Estero's total property tax base just six years ago, in 2000," the report stated.

Because Estero is unincorporated the tax base goes into the Lee County budget, who uses the money for their operations and also divvies money out for local services.

The ECCL acts as a voluntary, "grassroots" community organization that presents the consensus of its members' opinions to county and state decision makers for action.

Michele Novecosky, 36, who lives minutes from Estero in San Carlos Park, is enjoying the development. Novecosky and her family, which includes her husband and two children, recently moved down for jobs from the Ann Arbor, Mich., area.

"We don't mind the growth," Novecosky said Monday at the South County Regional Library in Estero.

Photo by LIANE SMITH / Banner

After a record high tax base increase of $1.47 billion in 2006, commercial projects in Estero will continue to swell the base in 2007, with projects such as Estero Crossing — more than 300,000 square feet of retail space off Corkscrew Road, now in the pre-development stage.

Novecosky says all of the commercial development makes juggling errands much easier, especially with two children.

"Everything you could possibly want," Novecosky said. "It's convenient for me."

Major projects, such as Coconut Point shopping complex, which brought about $84.6 million to the tax base, excluding the value of the land, have resulted in Estero expanding its tax base by $5.2 billion dollars over 10 years. In 1996, Estero's tax base was $435,699,780.

"It's a very substantial contribution that we're making to county activities," Don Eslick, chairman of ECCL, said. "It probably doesn't have too much of an impact on residents, but it helps to pay for a lot of services."

As commercial permits skyrocketed again this year, housing permits on the residential side, were down about 60 to 70 percent this year, Eslick noted.

"I think we'll have a lot of commercial growth that will show up in next year's increase," Eslick said. "But, it won't be nearly as big as 2006."

Other projects included in the 2006 totals, include Estero Town Commons, which will be anchored by a Lowe's; phase 5 of Miromar Outlets; Estero Park Commons; Walgreens Drug Store in Paradise Shoppes; Lee County Utilities; Barkis Car Wash; and several Empire Builders office buildings.

Mimi Straub, 94, founding member of the Estero Historical Society, said she has seen similar growth before on the east coast of Florida.

"I'm proud of the way Estero is growing," Straub said. "There are many wonderful people coming to Estero and much new talent arriving in Estero."

According to Straub, she hopes new residents will embrace Estero's culture, including its history and future with groups such as the Estero Historical Society and the Friends of South County Regional Library.

"These organizations compose the nucleus of the community of Estero," Straub said.

Straub, who came to Florida in 1933, witnessed development of the Everglades, but says growth is an inevitable issue everywhere in the world.

"The people are coming, and I don't think it's just Florida. I think the whole world (is growing) — maybe Florida more rapidly because of its climate," Straub said.

Eslick said ECCL members have been a part of the planning and review of Estero projects for about the past five years, adding the majority of residents not involved with that are now seeing the impact of "scrupulous review."

"We're looking at what's happening on the ground floor; the quality of investment," Eslick said of the ECCL. "I think everybody has to be pleased with the way everything has turned out."