Information about River Hall in Alva ??? (Fort Myers, Country Club: environment, condo, house)

[thatblond]

Does anyone have any information about River Hall in Alva? I'm considering purchasing and I am researching a few different areas near Fort Myers. Thanks!!!

[2peaches2oranges]

Pretty far from anything. The shopping plazas near the closest intersection on SR80 look run down, I think one of the plazas lost their main tenant. The entrance into River Hall looks nice from the main road. I think it is a dangerous intersection to come out of in the morning if you are coming into town. It is on the wrong side of the road as far as being on the river. What are you looking to buy? I would say keep looking, so much more around in a better location. Fort Myers Shores, Alva and Lehigh are pretty yucky IMHO.

[thatblond]

Originally Posted by 2peaches2oranges

Pretty far from anything. The shopping plazas near the closest intersection on SR80 look run down, I think one of the plazas lost their main tenant. The entrance into River Hall looks nice from the main road. I think it is a dangerous intersection to come out of in the morning if you are coming into town. It is on the wrong side of the road as far as being on the river. What are you looking to buy? I would say keep looking, so much more around in a better location. Fort Myers Shores, Alva and Lehigh are pretty yucky IMHO.

Thanks for the info, 2peaches2oranges!! To answer your question, I am looking to buy a small house or condo with a garage in a 'country club' atmosphere. Having a good fitness center, tennis and club activities are important to me. I would like to keep the price under $185K. I was considering River Hall, Legends Country Club or Colonial Country Club. It can be an active adult community..but it doesn't have to be.

[4harveys]

I have to reply. I don't know where you live 2peaches2oranges, but I beleive you must be just passing through Alva. Alva is a small, quaint rural community east of Fort myers. We are about 30 minutes from major shopping because we choose to be. Alva cannot be lumped in with Lehigh and Fort Myers shores. It would be like comparing peaches to oranges. I saw a reference in another of your posts to "environmental signs printed in Spanish"...What?...Where? Alva has the small town feel without the crazy combustion and traffic of Fort Myers. I lived in Estero before moving back to Alva ( I was raised here) when I lived in Estero, it would take me 30 minutes to get home from Fort Myers just as it does to get home to Alva, the difference is, I'm not stressed out from all the road rage when I get home now.
Thatblond, my brother and sister-in law live in Hampton Lakes in River Hall. They were the first residents. They both love it there! The fitness center just opened there last week and they are seriously impressed. Back towards the west on SR 80 (towards the interstate) we also have the Veranda community by Bonita Bay. With that community came a brand new shopping center anchored by Publix. It is filling up fast with small shops and eateries.
Pleas listen to someone who calls Alva home. Come visit for yourself. I think you'll love it here

[2peaches2oranges]

4harveys, you are passionate about the area you grew up in, that is wonderful. But River Hall is located closer to Buckingham, Ft. Myers Shores and the like. It may have an Alva address, but it is what you have to drive through to get there that I have described, if you cannot see the "environmental print" from Veranda to River Hall, then your passion is blinding you.

Like I said, it looks like a wonderful place, but for the money they are asking for that development, there has to be a nice surrounding and so far I do not see that. It is all the way near Veranda and that was definitely needed for that area, hopefully River Hall will demand the same niceties outside of their entrance.

[4harveys]

You are right, River Hall is right on the edge of Alva. If you know that, then you must know that the signs you are speaking of are in Fort myers Shores(between River Hall and Veranda), not Alva. And since you threw Buckingham into the mix, you have to know that once again, you cannot compare buckingham to FM shores or Lehigh any more than you can Alva. Alva and Buckingham are rural communities that many old time Floridians (6th, 7th even 8th generation) still call home. Both communities used to be described as podunkville, but I think you would just have to look at the MLS listings in these areas to know that a lot has changed about the way people are viewing the quieter, slower pace out here.

[SouthFloridaNative]

Just read this and I was puzzled about River Hall being a part of Alva. Good thing 4harveys cleared that up. I consider that area to be part of "the shores". Never liked that area. But hey, please don't be inviting more people to move to Alva. Let's keep it a secret for a as long as we can. Alva was the most wonderful place to grow up in...po-dunk and all.

[LostFtMyers]

Originally Posted by SouthFloridaNative

Just read this and I was puzzled about River Hall being a part of Alva. Good thing 4harveys cleared that up. I consider that area to be part of "the shores". Never liked that area. But hey, please don't be inviting more people to move to Alva. Let's keep it a secret for a as long as we can. Alva was the most wonderful place to grow up in...po-dunk and all.

Alva does need to be kept a secret for as long as possible. I was 5th generation there. My great grandmother was born in Alva in 1901 and lived in Alva until she died. When growing up Alva was called living in the sticks or BFE. Sad part about it today is unless land there has been in the family for generations you can't afford to move there. Even an old run down shack almost ready to fall down will cost more than 150k. But I guess that is both a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. It's a good thing in that it helps Alva remain what it is and keeps out the rif raf. because even the bad element is being priced out of the area.

I would love so much to move back there where the people are great and still look out for each other and the good folks are still allowed to have guns and will use them if need be.
I miss it and my heart cries to return... Maybe one day I will get that chance.