Two public information meetings were held Tuesday for the rezoning of Miromar Design Center and 19 acres on the Golf Coast Driving Range property at Estero’s planning, zoning and design board meeting. 

The 400,000-square-foot design center on the southeast quadrant of Interstate 75 and Corkscrew Road was zoned as Miromar Square a commercial planned development, in 2007 but is requesting a rezone to allow the use of office spaces. 

When the center was initially opened and approved by Lee County, the intent was an upscale design center where people could make appointments for different household furnishings. “It was a very specialized kind of a use,” Village of Estero Community Development Director Mary Gibbs said. “There was only one other in the state of Florida operating on the east coast at that time. They kind of modeled themselves after that.” 

Since the design center was intended to be upscale, the building itself became iconic in the community. However, it hasn’t been as successful as anticipated, Gibbs said. “Over time they’re looking to expand it and instead of just keeping the restricted uses for the design center to allow some office use,” she said. 

Planning and Zoning Board member Anthony Gargano asked if the center expects to transition to an office building over time. Village Land Use Planner Dan DeLisi stated it’s a possibility. 

Board member Jim Wallace also stated concerns about subdividing the design center for office space, considering the quality of design and architecture. DeLisi said it’s not currently the owner’s intent to subdivide for office space, as the proposed rezoning is intended to increase occupancy. 

The 19-acre proposed rezone of village-owned property at Golf Coast Driving Range on the north side of Williams Road and south of Estero Community Park consists of two parcels, with the east currently zoned for commercial planned development and the west zoned for agricultural.  

Village staff recommends rezoning to Estero planned development since the west parcel has remained vacant and the east parcel is limited to uses of the driving range or a place of worship. 

While plans are not concrete for the rezoning, the village is hoping for a complementary mix of uses, considering the site’s proximity to the county park and recreation center. 

Staff is considering a pickleball court on the site, following the village’s parks and recreation study that indicates a shortage of pickleball facilities in the community.  

“We don’t want to limit it just to pickleball. We’d like to mix in some indoor and outdoor types of recreation uses,” Gibbs said. “We’re trying to dream bigger than just having it be ball fields. We want to really get a mix of uses, have it work well and be complementary with the other areas.” 

Wallace brought up the village’s commitment to preserving trees, raising concern about the vacant west parcel. However, since the rezoning process has just begun, an environmental analysis of the property has not been conducted. 

The proposed rezoning will have its first public hearing at the Jan. 10 planning board meeting.