Twin Waterfront Towers Reach Their Full Height on the Bay

Bonita Springs, FL · September 24, 2026

Overcast skies are keeping the morning glare off the river, giving us an easier start to Thursday. The evening calendar is stacked with live comedy and vintage tunes once work wraps up.

The Lead

Cranes hoisted the final structural beams into place along the northern shore of the bay yesterday, marking the vertical completion of the second 22-story tower at the Ritz-Carlton Residences on Estero Bay. The topping-out marks a major milestone for the $458-million high-rise development, anchoring the broader 500-acre Saltleaf community.

Together, the twin towers span nearly two million square feet and bring 224 waterfront residences to the area. For neighbors along Coconut Road and boaters navigating local channels, the completed silhouettes signal a decisive shift away from heavy exterior concrete pours toward interior framing and shoreline landscape restoration. Coastal Construction will keep heavy trades focused inside the buildings through the winter months, aiming for initial residential move-ins next year.

Local Pulse

Arts Bonita Secures Fresh Cultural Grants Community New state cultural funding will support seasonal visual arts exhibits and live theater programming across both local campuses.
City Council Formally Backs Rail Trail Parks An updated municipal master plan guarantees local trail alignments connecting the proposed pedestrian corridor through Bonita toward Estero.

Today's Outlook

High 86°F · Low 75°F — Overcast
- Heavy cloud cover will keep the glare down, though humid warmth lingers all afternoon.

What's On Around Town

Today

Italian Wine Tasting Tour Vichino's Cafe & Wine Bar (25987 S Tamiami Trail), 5:30 PM · $41 Sample rare indigenous Italian varietals alongside curated small plates.
Time Traveller: The Moody Blues Tribute Arts Bonita Performing Arts Center (10150 Bonita Beach Rd SE), 7:30 PM · Paid Catch classic symphonic rock recreated live on the main stage.
Gabriel Iglesias: Live Comedy Hertz Arena (11000 Everblades Pkwy), Estero, 8:00 PM · Paid Laugh through an evening of arena stand-up just up the road.

Tomorrow

Mia: Keys on Fire! Arts Bonita Performing Arts Center (10150 Bonita Beach Rd SE), 7:30 PM · $44
El Jazzque Live Trio El Basque Vin & Tapas (26841 S Tamiami Trail), 7:30 PM

Saturday

12th Annual Fall Festival Opening Day Farmer Mike's U-Pick (26031 Morton Ave), 9:00 AM–5:00 PM · Paid
Lee County Cattle Baron's Ball Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort (5001 Coconut Rd), 6:00 PM · Paid

Spotlight & Story

Kelly Campbell
- A familiar presence at the 1945 historic cottages bordering Riverside Park, Campbell shapes stoneware on her outdoor wheel between teaching sessions as Arts Bonita’s ceramics department chair. Her delicate hand-carved porcelain oyster dishes draw directly from vintage Florida tableware she spent decades collecting.

Bonita Springs Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.

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