A graffiti-laden building in South Fort Myers has become a persistent eyesore that has frustrated local residents for several years, with promised repairs still nowhere in sight despite ongoing code violations and community complaints. The deteriorating structure, located on Presidential Court near the Florida SouthWestern State College campus, remains in disrepair as December approaches, despite earlier assurances from property owners that renovations would begin by winter.
The building first gained attention in March when WINK News reported on the property's condition, at which time the owners anticipated completing repairs by the winter months. However, nearly nine months later, the structure continues to be covered in graffiti and shows multiple signs of neglect. Lee County officials have documented several active code violations on the property, including issues with roof maintenance, debris accumulation, and overall building upkeep that have yet to be addressed.
Local workers and residents who frequently pass by the property have expressed growing impatience with the lack of progress. Paula Mejia, who works near the building, described its current appearance in stark terms. "It looks ugly, very ugly," Mejia said, explaining that the structure has been abandoned for years and was previously surrounded by trash and old furniture. She added that she had been "expecting that they are going to start rebuilding" but has seen little evidence of meaningful progress.
When contacted through Lee County's code enforcement website, a representative confirmed that his team is aware of the violations and claims to be working on addressing them. However, the timeline for resolution remains unclear, and residents report seeing minimal activity on the site. The property owner, Manny Hafutu of Adar South LLC, had previously attributed the building's deteriorated condition to hurricane damage but expressed optimistic plans for its future development.
In March, Hafutu outlined ambitious renovation plans for the site, stating, "We're looking forward to making a residential complex building. Basically, we're looking at 11 units, make it modern, nice. That's our main goal with this building." Despite these stated intentions, nearby residents have observed little to no construction activity or visible improvements to the property over the intervening months.
Oscar Granados, a local resident who regularly passes by the building, has grown increasingly concerned about its current state. "I can see, now, this is really in bad shape," Granados observed, noting that he hasn't noticed any recent activity suggesting imminent repairs or renovation work. His frustration reflects a broader community sentiment about the property's continued neglect.
Some minor improvements have been made to the site, according to local observations. Mejia mentioned that there has been some cleaning of the area and the installation of "no trespassing" signs, which have made the location feel somewhat safer. "They clean and I think they place a sign 'no trespassing' or something like that. It feels more secure and more safe, because you can see people running around normally at night time," she explained.
Despite these minimal security measures, residents remain skeptical about the property owners' true intentions and timeline for meaningful restoration. Granados captured this community frustration by questioning, "They're gonna do something? Or just they thinking to do something? It's a big difference." His comments reflect the growing divide between promised action and visible results that has characterized this ongoing neighborhood issue.
As the situation continues to unfold, local news outlets are seeking additional information from both the property owner and Lee County officials about concrete next steps for addressing the outstanding code violations. The community's patience appears to be wearing thin as the building remains a daily reminder of neglect in an area that serves students and workers near the college campus, with residents calling for definitive action rather than continued promises of future improvements.
