New Hope buys land for church campus

BUYER: New Hope Presbyterian Church of Southwest Florida Inc., Fort Myers

SELLER: Kendall's Colonial Plantation LLC

PROPERTY: 3500 Colonial Blvd., Fort Myers (larger parcel)

PRICE: $2.4 million

PREVIOUS PRICE: $12 million, February 2005 (include multiple parcels)

LAW FIRM ON DEED: Timothy G. Glass PA, West Palm Beach

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: New Hope Presbyterian Church purchased 20 acres on Plantation Road near Colonial Boulevard for $2.4 million.

The price equated to $120,000 per acre.

The church, part of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, has been holding services in the Brazilian Assemblies of God facility on McGregor Boulevard. But its growth necessitated moving to its own facility.

“We're in the process of raising money right now to pay off the purchase,” says Senior Pastor Bill Stephens. “We hope to have that finished in February and then we will start fundraising for phase one [of the project.]”

Stephens says the church was mainly attracted to the property by the large amount of developable land.