Chic shack

Since the early 1970s, the Seafood Shack Marina, Bar & Grill has been a local landmark in the historic fishing village of Cortez. Many area residents worked at the restaurant in their youth or celebrated major milestones there.

So they're carefully watching its reinvention.

In 2014, Canadian developer Vandyk Group purchased about six waterfront acres in Cortez Village — which includes the restaurant and marina — for $4 million. Now the firm is revitalizing the restaurant site while still maintaining its Old Florida charm. It's a multimillion-dollar project that's a delicate balance of building something to attract new customers without turning away old ones.