Former Shell Factory property in North Fort Myers sold for $3.9 million
The site that for decades was home to the iconic tourism destination, Shell Factory and Nature Park, has sold for just shy of $4 million.
Gary Tasman, CEO and principal broker; Lane Boy, executive director; and Shawn Stoneburner, senior director, of Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Property Southwest Florida, LLC, announced Friday they had successfully facilitated the sale of the 19-acre parcel in North Fort Myers for $3,925,000.
Tasman, Boy and Stoneburner represented the seller, Shell Factory LLC, in the transaction.
The buyer plans to pursue redevelopment of the site, with multiple future-use options under consideration, according to the release announcing the sale.
Established in 1938, the Shell Factory was an historic roadside attraction for more than 80 years and is well-known to generations of Southwest Floridians.
After purchasing the facility in the late 1990s, Tom and Pam Cronin turned the aging attraction into a family destination for locals and tourists alike. They made numerous improvements through the years, establishing a nature park, adding restaurants and more, all while retaining its old-Florida roots.
Closure of the Shell Factory and Nature Park in September of 2024 the wake of damages wrought by Hurricane Ian closed the book on an era, generational visitors agreed.
The property, which straddles the “two 41’s,” ceased operations in September 2024, creating “a rare redevelopment opportunity for the marketplace,” the sales team said.
The site. located between Del Prado Boulevard and Pine Island Road, has 620 feet of frontage on N. Cleveland Ave and 820 feet on US 41/Tamiami Trail.
According to the sale announcement from Cushman & Wakefield, the property was marketed to owner/users and attracted significant interest, resulting in a
formal call for offers and multiple bids.
Ultimately, the asset was sold to an owner-user buyer for $3,925,000. The transaction closed in less than four months from initial listing to closing.
It previously had been listed, with another brokerage, for around a year.
Final development plans have not yet been announced.
About Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Property Southwest Florida, LLC
Cushman and Wakefield | Commercial Property Southwest Florida, LLC delivers integrated
solutions by actively advising, implementing, and managing on behalf of landlords, tenants and
investors through every stage of the real estate process. They advise clients in buying, selling, financing, leasing and managing assets. C&W also provides
valuation advice, strategic planning and research, portfolio analysis, site selection and space
location assistance.
For more information about this transaction, or to learn more about Commercial Property
Southwest Florida, visit www.cpswfl.com.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated.