26564 Hickory Blvd Bonita-print-002-014-Greatroom sunset
A series of R.G. Designs and Potter Homes collaborations are making a mark on Bonita Beach with multistory abodes steps to the sand. (Courtesy Potter Homes)
An observant eye is quick to notice the crop of stylish homes going up on Bonita Springs’ Hickory Boulevard. A series of similar multistory homes, many of which were mapped out by R.G. Designs and built by Potter Homes, sprang up on the waterfront stretch within a matter of months. Individually, they’ve made up some of the highest-priced sales in Lee County for 2020.
Ryan Potter, a partner at Potter Homes, explains that despite all the similarities, these builds aren’t part of a residential community; they’re custom projects. The direct beach access is a big appeal, but also the quieter locale compared to Fort Myers and Naples.
Until recently, older homes from the ’60s and ’70s sat on the 50-foot-wide parcels along Hickory. Those moving to the area wanting ocean views found themselves with little options other than to purchase the lots and rebuild. And when building, the company aims to impress. The facade of each home is nearly symmetrical: the front door sits in the middle, with a garage door on either side and windows for different rooms stacked neatly on top. The general layout incorporates the common areas, like the kitchen and great room, with a couple bedrooms on the first floor, facing the road. Guest bedrooms, the master suite and a study are situated upstairs, for a total living space of more than 5,000-square-feet.
The homes are outfitted with smart technology, like automated lighting and motorized shutters, for extra coastal comforts, and an elevated infinity pool just beyond the pocket sliders blends in with the coast, for “a view that can’t be beat,” Potter says.