FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Times Square on Fort Myers Beach is still far from being fully rebuilt, and now, another business may be forced to leave. After losing so many local spots to hurricanes, the area could soon lose La Ola, one of its most popular restaurants—this time due to flood regulations.
WATCH AS FOX 4'S ANVAR RUZIEV SPEAKS WITH PATRONS, OWNER AND NEARBY BUSINESSES ABOUT THE ORDERS:
On Tuesday, a state judge ruled that La Ola must either come into compliance with FEMA’s elevation requirements or vacate the island by March 1. Because the restaurant is not built 13 feet above base flood elevation, it violates local land development codes. People around the restaurant worried that if La Ola is forced to leave, it will take a big piece of Times Square’s heart with it.
“They bring the life to Times Square right now at this point. There is no other anything happening or exciting. If you take that away, what’s going to be left?” said Pam Shanks, an employee in Times Square.
Many lots in the area remain empty, and Lee County recently shared updated projections showing that the Fort Myers Beach Pier isn’t expected to be completed until 2028. For now, La Ola is one of the few attractions still drawing people to the beach.
“This has been a spot that has brought a lot of people back down to the beach,” one patron said.
The impact wouldn’t just be felt by visitors. La Ola’s owner, Tom Houghton, says its presence helps support other nearby businesses as well.
“We're kind of like the anchor, you know? Like the small jewelry lady, the sunglass guy, the other food truck— all of them kind of rely on us being together here as a group,” Houghton explained.
One neighboring business owner agreed, saying, “A lot of the times, people will be having fun at the bar and they come over to our business, you know?”
La Ola is made up of two shipping containers placed on a trailer, allowing it to be mobile. During Hurricane Milton, the staff says they were able to relocate the entire restaurant off-island in just four hours.
Despite its ability to move, the judge’s ruling states that if La Ola does not meet FEMA’s requirements by March 1, the town can begin fining the restaurant $250 per day—and could eventually remove it altogether.
Still, Houghton isn’t giving up. He says they plan to have designs for a permanent brick-and-mortar structure ready before October and hope to appeal the judge’s decision in the meantime.
