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Downtown flooding doesn’t affect Bonita’s revitalization plans
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BONITA SPRINGS — Instead of a revitalized downtown, Bonita Springs got water.
Instead of restaurants, shops, condominiums and a river walk, Bonita Springs got rising flood waters on its marquee downtown property.
Although the Imperial River rising caused by Tropical Storm Fay negatively impacted many residents in east Bonita and along the waterway, the flooding hasn’t deterred the city government’s plans to revitalize the downtown corridor along the Imperial River.
“It comes over the seawall all the time. It is no surprise,” Mayor Ben Nelson said. “Any developers that come will look at the historical data and see what can be done there.”
Two years ago when the Bonita Springs City Council was partnering with Antaramian Development, Inc. of Naples to build the public-private, mixed-use housing project that was supposed to be the catalyst for further downtown redevelopment, Councilman Alex Grantt warned that it was a bad idea because of the rising Imperial River waters.
Although the city eventually contracted with Antaramian, Grantt opposed the measure at every turn because the 5.3-acre property that would be the site of the upscale Imperial Landing development was in a Category 1 hurricane storm surge zone.
“If you have a high hurricane come in and that has a storm surge, that water comes up the river from the bay,” Grantt said. “It would be like a freight train hitting those buildings if you had buildings there.”
Tropical Storm Fay flooding is different from storm surge, but Grantt’s claims — which were largely ignored and likely cost him re-election in January — gained some credibility when the flooding overflowed at the Imperial Landing site as well as in Riverside Park across Old 41 Road.
“You just have to be careful here where you build. You have to prepare for the flooding,” Grantt said. “This is Florida after all.”
Even with the flooding from the past week, Bonita officials don’t believe it will prevent developers from coming into the city’s downtown.
“I don’t think it would make much different,” City Manager Gary Price said. “Everything that has to be built there has to be above the flood plain.”
When Bonita flooded in 1995, the Imperial Landing parcel of land, which used to be a trailer park, flooded, forcing residents to evacuate. Flooding on that property isn’t unexpected.
Antaramian was well aware of the flooding possibilities when it signed onto the project in 2006. Although the company broke that contract in April and decided not to build there, the decision had nothing to do with potential flooding and was more about adding too many housing units in a market already rich in supply.
“The Imperial Landing project was designed with the thought in mind that the area does flood,” Antaramian spokeswoman Teresa Morgenstern said. “It was designed so the residential and commercial features would have been fine while the parking area would have flooded.”
The setup is much like homes on Bonita Beach, which has the living space above the flood plain while the parking is below.
However, the city may start taking measures to eliminate flooding along the Imperial River by opening up flow ways in other sections of the watershed.
“You’re going to see the City Council really try now to get that done,” Nelson said.
With Antaramian off the project, the city still is pursuing the rezoning on the 5.3-acre property, hoping that another developer will join after the housing market turns around, despite any potential flooding.
“It gets wet there sometimes,” Nelson said.
Comments
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Here we go again....:).
#1 Posted by ravenhawk on August 31, 2008 at 8:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe they can get the Waterside Shops to relocate.
#2 Posted by swampbuggy on August 31, 2008 at 9:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not as long as you have a boat or waders...
#3 Posted by Jadip811 on August 31, 2008 at 10:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
downtown flooding?
there is no downtown and if there were,,,,there is no flooding there,,,idiots
#4 Posted by Chenzo on September 1, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonder if the buildings could be built on barges?
#5 Posted by Grhorvath on September 1, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
soooooo when i see river water sitting where all the trailers used to sit,, its Not flood?,,, wow Thats great,,, that means that all this water I'm sitting in isnt flood either,,now Thats good news,,,, lololololol
#6 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 1:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
swamp4u2, at your convenience call me. 287-1686, Skip.
#7 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CTL you sur? id not wanna go out and find all thet watter thar full a snakes and gators and backs and things,,rite at my stoop,,,,in Ole Bonita,,,,,,,
#8 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CTL, that is not entirely true according to the above article which states. "Instead of restaurants, shops, condominiums and a river walk, Bonita Springs got rising flood waters on its marquee downtown property." Also a quote from the mayor,“It comes over the seawall all the time. It is no surprise,” Mayor Ben Nelson said. “Any developers that come will look at the historical data and see what can be done there.” So, if I'm reading this correctly it truly does state that there was flood waters from Fay where the trailers were once located at the old Bamboo Park property.
#9 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 6:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Regarding Mr. Alex Grantt, "Tropical Storm Fay flooding is different from storm surge, but Grantt’s claims — which were largely ignored and likely cost him re-election in January — gained some credibility when the flooding overflowed at the Imperial Landing site as well as in Riverside Park across Old 41 Road." Sometimes it is a good idea to heed the wisdom of ones elders.
#10 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
“If you have a high hurricane come in and that has a storm surge, that water comes up the river from the bay,” Grantt said. “It would be like a freight train hitting those buildings if you had buildings there.” All things are possible and to ignore what could be impossible is foolishness.
#11 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 6:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CTL,,,lol,, nope im not in Estero,tho it too Used to be a really nice place,,im still here in good ole Banana Strings,,,except that the Bananas are all about dead fror all this flood water,:-(,,,,, shoot them trailers couldnt even live in it up town,,,as you can see,and as we All know that is just another one of Many places that floods on a pretty regular basis,,,lol,,just as Ben, and Alex,,they Knew what happens all the time,,, as most of us ole timers Always Knew,:-),,,,, hmmm i shouldnt light a fire ,seeing as to how some folks dont think it floods,and That being the case, i dont want it to get away,and become a hazzard,,,,,,:-)
#12 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bananas are all about dead fror=**from** all this flood water,:-(,,,,, shoot them trailers couldnt even live in it up town,,,as you can see,and as we All know that is just another one of Many places that floods on a pretty regular basis,,,lol,,just as= **ask** Ben, and Alex,
sorry for the typos,,i hit the post button before i was ready to,,,:-)
#13 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CTL,,,,,you call Bonita home,then you have to know that the Imperial Lake<<< err Landings>>> will flood at the drop of a hat,,,,,,,,, and that whatever effort that is used to stop it, will just cause a problem in Another area,,,as it is now, its not hurting anything/anyone,,,and its flooded for decades,,,which most of Bonitas ole<not OLD,lol,,> timers have always known, also that it doesnt last all that long,as it is,,theres many enterprises that could go well there,and keep in stride with Old Bonita,and even draw people here to enjoy it,,,,now,as for my ,,,speech impedidediment,, at least i can spill it rite " impedddidddeedddiment",, awl yu ggggutta ddddew is ssssay it out,,,,,,,
#14 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 8:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Those were no typos. You have a speech "impedidediment." LOL, I think I just learned a new word. Yep CTL, we all be homeboys. Back in the old days ( 1995 ) I recieved some documents from sf WMD in referrence to the flood and among them was a photo of an American crocodile sunning itself on someone's dock on the Imperial River. We got wet again but we got lucky with the flood level not as bad as it was in '95. Be well.
#15 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 8:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
CTL,,,remember when all of this area was a Paradise ? and not Juat a Road?
hasta luego,,,
#16 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 9:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Still in the zone, off of east Terry since 1960,lol. Vade in pace,amacus mei.
#17 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 9:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Pardon the mis-spelling, Amicus Mei.
#18 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 9:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
dang ravenhawk ,,,how could Anyone mis-spell That??,,,,,,:-),,,,,,,,
RailRoad Crossing ,Look Out For The Cars,Spell That Without any R's,,,,,,,,
#19 Posted by Bullbat on September 1, 2008 at 10:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
" T H A T "............:)
#20 Posted by ravenhawk on September 1, 2008 at 10:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LOLOL,,,, give t h a t man a ceegar,,,,,,,,
#21 Posted by Bullbat on September 2, 2008 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
has anyone noticed this?,,,its off subject, BUT,,,, lets just say,,,Interesting,,and i wonder why it wasnt in the NDN ?
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.d...
#22 Posted by Bullbat on September 2, 2008 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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