Neighbors at Fort Myers Beach condo say contractor took money; didn’t finish job. More than two years have passed since Hurricane Ian unleashed its fury on the Lovers Key Beach Club, leaving deep scars on the landscape and on the lives of its residents. Despite the passage of time, the community is still trapped in the shadows of recovery.
The gates that once offered security and comfort now hang open, revealing a vulnerability that weighs heavily on those who call this place home.
Condo Gates Still Not Fixed
“There’s a lot of people that have been displaced for two years. We’re trying to get them all back in,” said Kirk Jones, a board member, who watches as hope flickers like a candle in the wind. The weight of the situation is palpable; he feels the responsibility to restore what was lost.
In February, a decision was made to enlist the services of Gatekeepers, a company based in Bonita Springs, with the hope that the gate motors, ruined by the storm surge, could be rebuilt. “They were underwater, so they were ruined,” Jones explained, his voice tinged with frustration and disbelief.
The board, desperate for progress, paid over $19,000 upfront, believing the contract would bring a swift resolution. It promised completion by April, but that deadline slipped away like sand through fingers. “I waited until the end of April. Then May came. Then June came,” he lamented, each month stealing a shred of hope.
“It’s a security issue. Obviously, it’s a money issue. I’m hoping the guy grows a little conscience and says he’ll come do it. I’ve done everything I can to get a hold of him.” Jones’s plea echoes within the silence of the half-repaired community, where trust wavers and patience wears thin.
Amidst the uncertainty, an employee of Gatekeepers offered insight in an email, explaining the challenges of staffing that have plagued the business. “If it was possible to complete these jobs in a short time, they would have been. Keeping employees has been nearly impossible,” they wrote. In the midst of the chaos, the company holds an F rating from the Better Business Bureau, and complaints resembling Jones’s situation linger online, a shared pain of disenchantment.
As time trudges forward, the builder has halted all new contracts, declaring, “I won’t take any more jobs until I can finish everything else.” Yet, a glimmer of reassurance surfaced, albeit faint. “The only good news is that the jobs we are finally able to complete, the customers are very satisfied, and the equipment performs as promised,” the company stated. Jones clings to this hope, questioning the integrity behind the service, “You would think people wouldn’t do this. You would think they would have a conscience, especially after we gave him our money.”
In the aftermath of turmoil, the struggles of a community continue to unfold. Hurricane Ian may have rolled through, but the resilience remains, an enduring flicker even in dark times. The lesson echoed through the breezy shores of Fort Myers Beach is as much about humanity as it is about home—how imperative it is for trust and commitment to echo back in every transaction, as they rebuild their lives, one broken promise at a time.
