New hotel boosts commercial permits

FORT MYERS — Construction of a 116-room Residence Inn by Marriott hotel boosted the number of commercial permits pulled in Lee County in August.

Builders pulled commercial permits worth $12.3 million in Lee County in August, more than double the number they pulled in July. That includes the $9.8 million hotel to be built at Gulf Coast Town Center near Interstate 75 and Southwest Florida International Airport, according to the Lee County Department of Community Development.

Meanwhile, homebuilders pulled 88 permits for single-family homes in Lee County in August, about the same as July but more than twice as many as they pulled in August 2012.

In addition, builders pulled permits for 53 multi-family homes in August, compared with 11 in July and 29 in August 2012.