James and Christopher Shucart like to refer to it as "the jewel of the Everglades."

It's the Port of the Islands resort about 12 miles south of the U.S. 41 and State Road 92 intersection, and the father-and-son team — backed by James Shucart's wife, Mary, and her son, Alex — are busy transforming elements of the resort community with a $1 million-plus cash injection.

The family, operating under the company name JCS Development LLC, believes the improvements will put the hitherto "tired" hotel, marina and restaurant squarely on the map, and by doing so elevate the prestige of the approximately 1,200-unit community.

It consists of hotel/condo units, single-family homes, duplexes and condo units.

The family team has bought 32 of the 86 hotel/condo units, as well as the restaurant, the marina and store, and 82 existing boat slips with the aim of installing another 40 concrete floating dock slips in the near future.

The family also owns three developable parcels of residential land on the property, which could eventually accommodate condos or hotel units, James Shucart said. In addition, it owns four acres of commercial (C-4) property.

James Shucart said that although numerous owners have not been able to realize the commercial potential of Port of the Islands, he felt his timing to close on his purchase June 15 was perfect.

"With all the development coming out of East Naples, this area is just being discovered," he said. "Some people from Naples haven't even been aware that it exists, but it's a great weekend getaway."

Surrounded by protected land, the largely waterfront community has excellent fishing, perhaps the best in the United States, Shucart said.

"We have a unique situation here of having brackish and salt water on one side of the highway (U.S. 41) and fresh water on the other," he said.

He said the improvements are about 90 percent complete. The hotel and marina have continued to operate during renovations.

The next push is marketing.

"We'll be doing that in several areas," Shucart said, "as fun getaways for Naples, Marco and Fort Myers, as well as Florida's east coast. We'll promote the fishing and nature aspects. We have a company that leases from us to take people on manatee sightseeing tours, and the guide virtually guarantees sightings."

Airboat rides in the area will also be touted as an attraction, he said.

He said the drive market may ironically increase business because of the recent gas price hikes. That would increase corporate business in the form of retreats.

Longtime real estate agent Tom Barnard, owner of Port of the Islands Realty, welcomed the efforts of the Shucart family.

"They're doing a first-rate job," Barnard said. "We've had permutations here going back to the early '80s."

They included efforts by at least three sets of owners, with the Shucarts finally buying from the daughter of one of three most recent owners, Maurice Helperin, after he died.

Barnard said prices at the Port of the Islands community have traditionally been lower than those of Marco or Naples, but that right now they're starting to approach some sort of parity.

James Shucart agreed that prices are on the rise, but said they still represent good value for the money.

"Where in Collier County could you find a hotel condo on the water for $158,000, for example?" he said.

Christopher Shucart handles the physical improvements and maintenance tasks at the hotel and marina, while James concentrates more on the operational side.

James Shucart said his wife, Mary, is an indispensable part of the operation, handling the myriad tasks associated with running a hotel, and particularly the accounting and financial side.

The Shucarts also own The Hitching Post plaza on U.S. 41 near Lely Resort. They formerly owned The Tides Inn, a small hotel on Gulf Shore Boulevard in Naples, as well as a 22-unit condo block that they subsequently sold.

Their other business interests include an office warehouse building in St. Louis and a part interest in a restaurant in the same city.