SANIBEL, Fla. — After nearly two and a half years of rebuilding, Sanibel has reached a major milestone—more than half of its pre-Hurricane Ian lodging accommodations are back up and running.
Watch as Sanibel Community Correspondent Anvar Ruziev reports from one of the newly opened resorts on the island:
According to the SanCap Chamber of Commerce, 907 hotel rooms are now available on the island, marking a significant step forward in the island’s recovery.
Among the reopened resorts is the Sanibel Inn, part of a collection of four island properties, and currently the only one of the group that has resumed operations. Vice President of the company, Bill Wellman, led the restoration efforts and described the long but rewarding process of rebuilding.
“You know, it was a time-consuming process, to go from essentially what was almost nearly destroyed to a brand-new hotel,” Wellman said. “And two and a half years seems like a long time, but when people look at where we were and where we are now, it's pretty exciting.”
A Shift in Focus: Bringing Back Full-Time Residents
While restoring visitor accommodations has been a top priority, Sanibel’s leaders and business owners are now shifting their focus toward bringing back permanent residents.
Eric Pfeifer, a Sanibel realtor and business owner, is part of a new volunteer committee working to speed up the island’s overall recovery.
“As a resident and a business owner, I've teamed up with a few people,” Pfeifer said. “We started a committee to try to create the urgency to get all of the businesses and buildings back online.”
One of the tasks the committee is looking is increasing full time residents ont he island. SanCap Chamber of Commerce President John Lai emphasized that understanding the needs of homeowners is now the next priority.
“Our focus right now is geared toward looking at full-time residents,” Lai said. “What percentage of them are back? What percentage of them need help getting back? And how do we move some of the real estate inventory to get people back on the island?”
What’s Next for Sanibel?
With lodging on the island steadily recovering—67% of rooms are expected to be back by the end of the year. The Chamber of Commerce plans to gather data to better understand what resources are needed to encourage full-time residents to return and to continue rebuilding Sanibel’s community.
