Lehigh Acres growth outpaces business development, concerning residents | WINK Listens

Lehigh Acres is experiencing rapid growth, but many residents feel that the area lacks business development. During our fourth WINK Listens event in Lehigh Acres, several community members expressed concerns about the limited shopping and dining options available.

Karen Rock, a participant at the event, expressed frustration, saying, “The CVS over here on Homestead is the only CVS here in town. Walgreens is the only one there. You’re standing in line for like an hour. This is crazy.”

Mary Chung also attended the event and pointed out, “We only have Lee Walmart, and that’s about it, really.”

Rich Anderson, another attendee, stated that options are “pretty slim out here.”

Brian Harbaugh added, “There’s like, really nothing else shopping-wise here. We have just one Publix, and then one Walmart. And too many dollar stores.”

WINK News confirmed there are 14 discount stores in the area, which contributes to the feeling of limited variety.

Karen Rock shared her frustration as well, saying, “We don’t want to go to Fort Myers every time we want to eat. There’s nothing in Lehigh.”

“We have three sit-down restaurants that you can go to with a family,” said Skeeter Kise. “Bring something else out here besides fast food, McDonald’s, Burger King.”

Stephanie House remarked, “We need more family-style restaurants.”

Kim Piazza echoed this sentiment, stating, “One decent restaurant, so I’m not traveling an hour and a half to go to dinner.”

Despite the rapid construction of new homes, the commercial sector has not kept pace with this growth. Realtor Melissa Orta explained, “I think we have a lot of entrepreneurs in this community. The problem is that there is just no space for them to open up businesses. So we need to amp up construction on commercial buildings.”

Orta further explained that small businesses face financial challenges in building from scratch, while fast-food chains can afford to develop new locations.

“A lot of these small businesses, they don’t have the funds to build a commercial building from the ground up, but these fast-food restaurants do, and I think that’s what’s causing the disparity,” Orta said.

Residents are eager for the kind of stores and sit-down restaurants that can transform a growing area into a thriving community. 

Rich Anderson remains hopeful, saying, “I’ve enjoyed it here. I just hope that other people can enjoy it here.” 

Development plans include a large retailer with an online pickup area, a Lowe’s, and a gas station at the intersection of State Road 82 and Blackstone Drive. Additionally, a 7-Brew coffee and smoothie shop, as well as a Chick-fil-A, are planned for Homestead Road. The Sunniland Town Center, which will include commercial and residential spaces, is also in the works for Lee and Sunniland Boulevard.