Sembler Plans 245,000-Square-Foot Gateway Marketplace With Publix and Home Depot in Fort Myers

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Sembler is developing a 245,000-square-foot retail center anchored by Publix Super Market and The Home Depot at the southwest corner of Daniels Parkway and State Road 82 in Fort Myers, the firm announced. The project, called Gateway Marketplace, is targeted for delivery by September 2027 and sits on approximately 40 acres in the Lehigh Acres submarket of Lee County.

Gateway Marketplace: Tenants and Program

The planned tenant mix at Gateway Marketplace includes a 54,964-square-foot Publix Super Market, a 135,000-square-foot Home Depot, and a 2,100-square-foot Publix Liquor Store. An additional 5,600 square feet of inline retail space is planned adjacent to the Publix, and six outparcels are designated for future retail and restaurant uses. Confirmed outparcel tenants include a Circle K gas station and convenience store and a McDonald's restaurant.

The intersection where the center is located sees significant vehicle traffic. Sembler data shows at least 35,000 motorists per day entering from Daniels Parkway and more than 47,000 from State Road 82. Combined with traffic from Gunnery Road, the firm reports more than 106,000 vehicles passing the site daily.

Residential Growth Driving Demand

The 40-acre site is adjacent to the 1,310-lot Timber Creek community. Sembler is also planning shared access with the 1,600-lot Daniels Creek residential community, which has officially begun construction. A new traffic signal is planned to serve those entering and exiting Gateway Marketplace, the adjacent Creekside Marketplace, and Daniels Creek. The Gateway and Lehigh Acres communities recorded nearly 5,000 residential permits pulled in the prior year, according to Sembler.

"We are excited to bring Gateway Marketplace to a part of Lee County experiencing tremendous residential growth," said Josh Beyer, senior vice president of development for Sembler. "The center will provide convenient access to grocery, home improvement, dining and other everyday services for residents in this fast-growing area."

Creekside Marketplace: A Second Sembler Project on the Same Corridor

Sembler is also planning a second retail project along the same corridor. Creekside Marketplace, situated on approximately 41 acres at the southeast corner of Daniels Parkway and State Road 82, is planned as a 250,000-square-foot retail and medical office destination. The project includes 11 outparcels and a 90,000-square-foot Class A medical office component. Sembler says it is still working through tenant plans for Creekside. Together, the two projects represent nearly 500,000 square feet of planned retail, grocery, home improvement, and medical office space along the Daniels Parkway and State Road 82 corridor.

Sembler's Track Record in Lee County

Sembler has an established presence in Lee County. The firm recently completed the redevelopment of Daniels Crossing, a Publix-anchored shopping center in Fort Myers that reopened in 2025. It also redeveloped Riverdale Shopping Center, another Publix-anchored center in east Lee County, which reopened in 2021.

Sources

Sembler — Gateway Marketplace Project Announcement