Students who are growing restless of dorm rooms and housing restrictions had the chance to attend a VIP event hosted by The Reef, the newest off-campus housing option in Estero, at its office location in Gulf Coast Town Center to mingle with the staff as well as other future residents on Wednesday, Jan. 27.
“I’ve been doing this for awhile,” said Stacy Hess, the general manager of The Reef. “I know what brings them in, whatever appeals to students.”

The event consisted of catered food from Foster’s Grille and Bar Louie, as well as prize giveaways including a Go-Pro camera and a Microsoft tablet. Upon entering, attendees were greeted by staff members who then gave the future residents iPads to complete the 16-page leasing contract.
Riwna Kelly, a senior biology major who is currently living in West Lake, attended the event to sign her lease for summer.
“I like West Lake, but they’re closing it for the summer,” Kelly said. “So, we had to find somewhere to live. From the pictures, it looks really nice. They give you a lot of amenities, and it seems like fun. I think they’re good prices. For what you’re getting, I think it’s worth it.”
Freshman Nicole Heitz, who currently resides in Osprey Hall in South Village, decided on attending the event to sign a lease with her sorority sisters.
“I was just looking for a place to live next year, and the girls in my sorority were looking for a roommate,” Heitz said. “I wanted to live off campus because there’s a lot of rules (on campus), and I’ll have more freedom.”
Hess, along with Regional Supervisor Leah Norris, promoted the event through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as handing out flyers and mentioning the event to those who walked into their office located in between Kilwins and Subway.
“We were really excited because we’ve had a lot of people sign a lease, and we haven’t had a chance to meet them face to face,” Norris said.
Hess hoped that those who attended the event got an idea of what it’s going to be like living at The Reef, what kind of standards the complex will have, along with how the customer service will be. Hess said The Reef, which is managed by Asset Campus Housing, will include several amenities that other options don’t include.
“(There’s) so many things,” Norris said. “Private bathrooms, we’re really excited to bring that to Fort Myers. All of our residents are really excited. Our staff is our number one — customer service and atmosphere. We really like to interact with residents. It’s their home away from home, and we want them to have the same feeling.”