Just down the island’s main road, the Red Coconut R.V. For most homes in Fort Myers Beach, this means that rebuilding what was there before Ian isn’t an option. For a hotel development like Margaritaville, the building codes helped it weather Ian with damage from which it could recover. That means existing property owners like those of the Silver Sands, Red Coconut and countless private homes end up cutting their losses and selling. They’re also banking on the infinite desirability of the beachfront, as are the state authorities responsible for the building codes that allow redevelopment after hurricanes and floods.

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Persons: Hurricane Andrew, Ian isn’t Organizations: Seagate Development Group Locations: Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, Sands, Florida, Banks, North Carolina, New York City