Legacy Harbour Marina in downtown Fort Myers, Florida, is undergoing redevelopment following extensive damage sustained during Hurricane Ian in 2022.
AIRN Management, the marina’s owner, has partnered with Bellingham Marine to carry out the reconstruction. Work began in early 2025, and reopening is planned for the first quarter of 2026.
Hurricane Ian, a category 4 storm, made landfall in September 2022 with damaging winds and a record storm surge. The storm, which caused the cancellation of IBEX 2022, left Legacy Harbour Marina unusable. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it was the costliest hurricane to impact Florida, with damage exceeding $112bn. AIRN Management, which had recently assumed ownership before the storm, has spent three years clearing and preparing the site.
“This marina has always played an important role in the Fort Myers boating community,” says Rick Budd, chief executive officer of AIRN Management. “We’re committed to restoring Legacy Harbour in a way that not only honours its history, but brings in modern improvements and safeguards for the future.”
Plans call for 131 slips ranging from 40ft to 150ft. The redevelopment includes Bellingham Marine’s Unifloat concrete wave attenuator system supported by 70ft steel piles. Interior slips will use the Unideck aluminium frame dock system with WearDeck synthetic decking. Larger steel pipe piles with HDPE sleeves are being installed to enhance durability and reduce maintenance.
Utility upgrades will provide potable water, in-slip pump-out, fire suppression systems, fibreglass dock boxes, and both single- and three-phase power.
Legacy Harbour covers approximately 13 acres on the Caloosahatchee River, with eight acres of submerged land and 4.6 upland acres. The site provides direct water access to the Gulf of Mexico and is within walking distance of downtown Fort Myers.
The marina, located at 2044 West First Street, operates under a lease with the City of Fort Myers and will function as a slip-leasing facility. Slip reservations are expected to open about six months before the planned reopening in early 2026.
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