Literally and figuratively change is just around the corner and with it many more people and vehicles. In the past 10 years, the average daily traffic count on Palm Beach Boulevard has increased from 26,000 to 36,000. The FDOT expects there will be 52,000 vehicles a day within the next 5 years. No matter what direction you may look land is being developed for homes and commercial purposes.
Toward the east
Right around the corner on Buckingham Road the Riverdale High School recently completed a $108 million renovation to accommodate more students. Adjacent to the eastern walls of Verandah three large housing projects (Buckingham, Hemmingway, and Portico) are being built that will produce over 2,500 homes on over 40 acres. A little to the east Riverhall has permits to build 2,695 homes and 45,000 SF of commercial space on 27 acres.
(Map legend: Rezoning request (Blue); Proposed (Purple); Approved (Red); Construction (Green)
Toward the north
Just outside Verandah’s main gate are five residential and commercial projects that will result in nearly 1,000 homes and many new businesses.
The “800-pound gorilla” is Babcock Ranch – just 20-minutes north of Verandah. While it has 18,000 acres, they project about half will remain undeveloped. At build-out there will be 6 million square feet of commercial space. They have plans to build 19,500 homes to accommodate 50,000 residents. (By way of comparison Verandah is about 1500 acres with 1,600 homes.) Babcock Ranch is experiencing rapid and broad-based development in 2026, with both residential and commercial construction accelerating. Through July, the community reported 748 home sales, up 29% from 2025, while more than 6,000 homes have now been sold overall. Major projects underway include a 111,000-square-foot mixed-use district with retail, restaurants, offices and residences; a second Publix-anchored shopping center; the Florida Gulf Coast University research campus; and the 255,000-square-feet of office, warehouse, service, distribution and light-manufacturing users. Overall, the activity indicates that Babcock Ranch is moving beyond a primarily residential development toward a regional town with significant employment, retail, medical, educational and residential components.
Toward the west
Fort Myers has endured significant impacts from hurricanes Ian, Helene, and Milton (2022-24) The cumulative effect of these storms has left the area in a prolonged state of recovery, with ongoing efforts to rebuild homes, businesses, and infrastructure. This has caused a building boom. All of these projects require housing for the workers and new apartments are popping up everywhere. In the past five years over 15,000 apartment units were in the planning and construction phases in Lee County.
