Throughout the negotiations between Waterside, NCH, and the City of Marco Island  on the revised proposal for the ALF and new Urgent Care Facility, I fought for the inclusion of a new waterfront park as part of the deal. I’m proud to have been successful in my fight. The final project includes an assisted living & memory care facility, state-of-the-art urgent care clinic, and public park on the property at the corner of San Marco Rd and Heathwood Dr.

The photos in this post show the positioning and layout of the new waterfront park. The park is tentatively named First Responders Park and will be a beautiful new addition to our Marco Island City Parks and Recreation Department. The park will connect to the multiuse path on San Marco Road and from Bald Eagle Drive. It will have a waterfront walkway along the entire length of the ALF property.

The revised project has been under construction for the past year and is nearing completion in 2024.

Here is a quick overview of key points associated with the project:

Assisted Living Facility

• Smaller footprint (10 acres compared to the original 12).
• Lower height that matches the neighboring Villas at Waterside Condominium (Three stories, zoning height of 35 ft plus 1 ft to comply with new FEMA regulations).
• Fewer than Half of the Original Units ( 86 Units divided between assisted living and memory care).
• Fewer than Half the Beds (92 beds; six units will be companion suites to accommodate spouses).

Proposed Urgent Care Clinic

• Building replaces existing clinic (new infrastructure, technology, efficient flow).
• Two stories (same height as existing Medical Building on the site).
• State-of-the-art facility (replaces outdated facility to deliver better care).
• More space ( 25,000 total square feet).

Free Public Waterfront Promenade and Park

• 1.87 acres.
• Development team will improve the property to deliver a finished park.
• Donated to the City of Marco Island at project’s opening.
• Maintained by Watermark for five years post-construction.

Please  drop me a line if you have any questions about this project.