The Landings was built on a former gladiolus farm, so every tree had to be planted.
My first time in The Landings was in 1986. I was 24 years old and along with my parents came to visit my aunt and uncle in Windjammer. And even though I was far younger than most of the people there, I loved it. I remember huge shade trees, sunning by the sparkling pools, and getting a relaxing break from a hectic life. Mum and Dad rented for years during Season, finally buying their own condo in Trawler in 2009. I looked forward every year to my annual trip to The Landings. When my husband and I decided to buy a home in Fort Myers we looked in other neighborhoods, but our hearts were in The Landings. So, in 2015 we bought a house in Riverside and in 2018 made The Landings our permanent home.
There are many who have been here for more than 30 years, including Shirley Rasmussen from Schooner who has called our community home for 47 years! And there are plenty of residents who have lived in more than one place in The Landings. Why would they live anywhere else? But what’s always amazing to me is how many of us are second generation Landings people. We visited our families for years and can’t imagine being anywhere else in Florida. It’s a testament to how much those of us who live here love it!
OUR PAST
The property upon which The Landings and Magnolia Pointe now sit has an interesting history. It was once owned by Dr. Franklin Miles, who founded Miles Laboratories. He sold the land to the Sutphin family, who were sports team owners and industrialists from Cleveland, Ohio. They built a large house and guest cottages along the river where our marina now sits. They named it The Farm and used the property as a family and corporate retreat, entertaining many dignitaries and sports figures for years in the 1930s and ’40s.
It all began for The Landings in 1973 when J. Foster Pate, a long-time Lee County developer, and Werner Hoffman conceived of a plan to build a brand-new type of community along the Caloosahatchee River just south of Fort Myers. At the time it was a very productive 207-acre gladiolus farm owned by Jack Shanklin. There were no trees or paved streets and only one lone house stood on the property. Rumor has it that Thomas Edison first visited the area and saw the great potential of Fort Myers. The bamboo trees that line the shore of the Caloosahatchee River by Picnic Pointe are said to be direct descendants of an experiment conducted by Edison with the Miles Laboratory family, when they owned the property.
Mr. Pate, Mr. Hoffman, and a group of award-winning architects and land planners brainstormed ideas, with their objective being to create a development that was different and far reaching in its ecological and environmental aspects. The master plan was designed to include freshwater lakes connected with culverts so that rainwater from roofs, parking lots and streets would flow into the lakes, and very little water would be taken from the ground to water the landscaping and golf course. The soil dredged from the creation of the marina and lakes was used to form the earthen mounds around the homes and the rolling terrain of the golf course.
Another component of the master plan was to create the development’s own nursery. This allowed The Landings to grow their own trees and plants to have them in an advanced stage of growth when they were required. There were no trees at the beginning but by 1996, some 50,000 trees had been planted. The Landings even accepted trees that had grown too large for homes elsewhere in the community. Hundreds of trees were salvaged from local homes, nursed and carefully replanted in The Landings. One of the things we love most about our neighborhood is the beautiful, shady, mature trees. The banyans, oaks and palms give us much needed respite from the hot Florida sun.
Construction began in 1976 with Windjammer Village. Instead of one big community it was decided to cluster residences in village groups so that each village could still have a small-town feel. Additional villages following Windjammer were Schooner, Longboat, Harbortown, Clipper Cove, Trawler, and Ariel. Steamboat Bend, Steamboat Bend East, and Flagship soon followed. The executive golf course that winds through The Landings started with nine holes, then was later expanded to 18 in 1979. The community now had 13 tennis courts, a competition-sized pool, 18 lakes stocked to fish, miles of landscaped paths, a large clubhouse, dining, and a private harbor and marina. This combined to create a self-contained community where most of us find plenty to do “on campus.”
Flagship resident Jackie Anthony wrote about her early memories of The Landings in an article for “The Happy Landings.” “There was no stoplight on McGregor. The entrance was graced by two tall palms that became a sort of signature of The Landings along with a sign between them with a logo of a tennis ball and dock pilings.” She also remembered that McGregor was a two-lane road and the only way to get to Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, so the traffic was “unbelievable.” Since there was not yet a wall, people driving over the old Cape Coral Bridge would drive through The Landings to get to McGregor.
In 1989, The Landings’ undeveloped land was sold to builder O.J. Buigas, who would develop the second half of the community. Mr. Buigas added the guardhouse at the front entrance, the wall around The Landings, patio homes and single-family homes to the residential mix, in the villages of Sunset Cove, Sunset Harbor, Lighthouse Village and Mariner’s Cove. In 1990, Riverside Development Corporation, owned by Mr. Buigas, then purchased the undeveloped land in what is now Riverside, from U.S. Life Realty Corporation who had also previously owned The Landings. At the same time, Landings resident George Severson purchased the amenities (tennis courts, golf course, marina, etc.).
Fast forward to 2002. This is the year the members of the LYG&T Club purchased the amenities from Severson Enterprises for $7.95 million. Now The Landings would be totally owned by Landings property owners. In 2005, around the 30th anniversary of The Landings, a complete renovation of the Helm Club was planned, and a separate restaurant called The Wheelhouse was designed. By the 35th Anniversary in 2009, there was a lot to celebrate! Improvements to the Marina had been completed. The golf paths had been repaved, and a new tennis stadium had been built. The Helm Club now had a large bar that could hold 80 people and a beautiful dining facility with a 250-seat banquet hall. And the amazing Wheelhouse overlooking the Caloosahatchee River was up and running with its incredible sunset view.
By 2015 The Landings had completely new tennis courts and a totally redesigned golf course with new fairways and much larger greens. The Marina now had floating docks and there was yet another update of the Compass Rose Tavern, plus new Picnic Pointe buildings. The last big addition to our amenities were the Pickleball courts. Eight of them were added in 2017 and they have quickly become a popular part of our community. Presently, The Landings comprises 14 villages, 1150 doors, and almost 2500 residents from all parts of the world.
Hurricanes and tornados have taken their toll on The Landings. But each time it is rebuilt better than before. People come and go in our community but one thing everyone has in common is the love for their slice of Paradise at The Landings!
In a News-Press article written to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of The Landings in 1996, Werner Hoffman, one of the original developers said, “The intent was to build some very good multi-unit housing with the amenities blending in …We created a way of life where people had lots of fun and it was a beautiful lifestyle.” That lifestyle is what the developers were most proud of: winding streets, lush landscaping, a marina, golf course, tennis courts and a clubhouse with fine dining. With a rich history, and a strong culture of caring, The Landings future is very bright!
Editor’s note: This article was written as part of the companion book for “Where We Landed,” a 13-song album written and recorded by singers and instrumentalists who are residents of The Landings. The unique musical tribute to The Landings was completed in 2023.
Photos by Cathy Webb
