Plans to move forward with a new Hilton brand Home2 Suites hotel at Coconut Point outdoor mall were put on hold at the Estero Village Council’s June 4 meeting because the developer unexpectedly asked for the option to build the structure with primarily wood instead of concrete, Community Development Director Mary Gibbs said.

“I was a little bit surprised and a little bit shocked,” said Gibbs, who added that she has spent years telling developers that the village wants concrete and not wood-frame construction.

Representatives for the developer, Peachtree Group, and the village offered sworn testimony during the quasi-judicial hearing.

An architect for the developer, Christopher Allred, argued that wood is a sustainable resource, more readily recycled and easier and less costly to renovate when compared to concrete.

Skeptical council members suggested that Peachtree had simply decided building with wood is cheaper.

“At the 11th hour we’re talking about stick construction, I think primarily because of cost,” said Vice Mayor George Zalucki.

Peachtree representatives didn’t offer specific cost estimates. But Allred said that while construction typically includes a mix of materials, concrete block construction would be more expensive than wood. “For this project, the most cost effective would be wood,” he said.

Michael Gibbons, Estero’s deputy building official, testified that concrete is, in his opinion, a superior material with which to construct the hotel. Wood is more susceptible to Southwest Florida’s heat, humidity and potential water intrusion, he said, while concrete is less likely to rot and harbor pests and would improve the building’s fire safety.

“It’s safer for firefighters, it’s safer for people to get out,” he said.

In addition, concrete block’s density and ability to store and release heat would lower utility bills over time. It also can be pulverized and used for road base or bridge enhancements.

“So, it is kind of recyclable,” Gibbons said, adding that in his 40 years as a general contractor, concrete commercial buildings have been the rule and not the exception. “Very rarely have I built a wood frame commercial building.”

At previous meetings about the hotel, which began in December 2023, discussions assumed concrete block construction. The Peachtree group proposed the Home2 Suites on a 2.37-acre spot in what is now the back parking lot for Coconut Point. It would be a four-story hotel with 111 rooms, a fitness center and pool. Access to the hotel would be at Via Monte Carlo Way.

A civil engineering firm working for Peachtree, Ingenium Enterprises, sent an email dated May 6 asking for the option to construct the building with wood instead of concrete block. Estero staff said the email was received May 19. Ongoing international tariff discussions were a factor in the request for flexibility on building materials, the letter said.

“The decision to build a particular way changes with market conditions,” wrote Jeremy M. Pettit, vice president of Ingenium. “…The current market for materials is the main reason for those decisions, not the quality of construction.”

Council said the plan to use wood was a surprise on June 4.

Other members still have concerns about how the hotel could affect traffic, and Peachtree’s requested deviations from rules on the building’s height and density.

Council approved a motion to continue the public hearing about the hotel development at its July 2 meeting.