Building Lasting Partnerships: The Weitz Company’s Success and Growth with Shell Point Retirement Community 

Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers, Florida, is a great example of The Weitz Company’s ability to foster long-term client relationships through exceptional project execution. Shell Point spans 700 acres along the picturesque Caloosahatchee River and has been a trusted partner of Weitz since winning the Larsen Health Center project in May 2019..  

The Shell Point Retirement Community is Florida’s largest Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). In total, The Weitz Company has worked on three major development projects in the community over recent years: 

• Shell Point Larson Heath Center: Completed in 2021, this is a state-of-the-art facility that replaced a nearly 50-year-old skilled nursing building. Featuring 180 beds and a $168 million budget, this project stands as a testament to Weitz’s commitment to quality, and the success of this endeavor has paved the way for additional work with Shell Point. 

• Shell Point Tower One Vista Cay: A 14-story, 267,411 SF Independent Living (IL) Tower with 58 IL units, budgeted at $107 million, and construction beginning in July 2024. 

• Shell Point Island Commons: A 4-story, 152,000 SF Commons Building featuring a 30 Room Guest House and serving as a vital hurricane shelter for independent living unit residents, budgeted at $76.1 million, and expected to begin construction in February 2025. 

Partners Through Adversity 

While these projects have been instrumental in the major growth and development of the Shell Point Retirement Community, no project is too small. After Hurricane Ian swept through the Ft. Myers community in 2022, causing widespread and catastrophic loss, the Shell Point Community faced damages that would potentially impact the continual care for residents and the community. The Weitz Company answered their partner’s call and worked with Shell Point leaders again, this time to ensure the community remained operational, in the wake of this natural disaster and the months of clean up that followed.  

Keys to Continual Success 

Weitz’s continual success at Shell Point can be attributed to several key factors from the Larsen Health Center project including:  

• A deep understanding of Shell Point’s operations and project phasing. Combined with a team of key experts – Chuck Congdon, Nick Pizza, and Doug Just – that carry their knowledge and collaborative client relations to each new project, ensuring greater success.  

• Delivered 25 days ahead of schedule and under budget  

• No lost-time injuries & maintained a safe workplace despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic 

• Created virtual and physical mockups to ensure high-quality standards 

• Achieved a high level of client satisfaction through consistent collaboration and excellent delivery