Fort Myers shopping center under new management

An open-air shopping center in Fort Myers has a new third-party management company. DLC will be handling day-to-day operations and leasing for Bell Tower, the company announced in late July.

DLC is an open-air shopping center operator headquartered in Elmsford, New York, with regional offices in Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas and Washington, D.C., made up of real estate entrepreneurs committed to making retail places better. Founded in 1991, the company manages eight properties in Florida, including a few others in the region; it oversees Sprouts-anchored College Plaza in Fort Myers, Aldi-anchored Countryside Shoppes in Naples and Bealls-anchored Creekwood Crossing in Bradenton.

“Institutional partners continue to trust DLC to drive value through strategic leasing, thoughtful operations and a tenant-focused approach,” DLC founder and CEO Adam Ifshin says in a statement. “We are excited to bring our vertically integrated platform to Bell Tower Shops and enhance what is already a vibrant, high-traffic destination in Fort Myers.”

Bell Tower is a 365,000-square-foot open-air retail center with tenants like Nordstrom Rack, Regal Theaters and Dave & Buster’s as well as eateries including The Capital Grille, Tap 42, Blue Pointe Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill and McGregor’s Public House. It has 2.9 million visitors annually, according to its website.

DLC plans to expand the audience for Bell Tower even further through hands-on leasing, merchandising and marketing strategies.

“We know how to energize retail,” DLC Chief Operating Officer Chris Ressa says in a statement. “We are excited to take our expertise and platform to another project in Fort Myers. We see potential to grow this center’s reach and add compelling new brands that will benefit the community.”