East Naples Grows

As even a casual observer will have noticed, State Route 951 between and U.S. 41 and the I-75 interchange is a development hot spot for central Collier County.  

The last few years have seen the woodlands and empty lots that lined the 5.3-mile stretch of pavement give way to residential and commercial rooftops. The same applies to roadways that intersect, also known as Collier Boulevard. Other projects are taking shape, some under construction, and others in the planning stages or wending their way through the governmental approval process.  

A prime example of the commercial type is the 8590 Hammock Park Plaza, located at the intersection of Collier and Rattlesnake Hammock Rd.  

The 16,216-square-foot strip shopping center began welcoming visitors in January whena First Watch restaurant became the first tenant to open its doors. It has since been joined by a Royal Scoopice cream shop, a Little Caesars Pizza, and a CoCo nail salon. A G’s Cheesesteaks location is under construction.  

A lease has been signed with Pinnacle Health Specialists, which plans to operate an urgent care center there, but it’s unclear when it will open, said Tony Mangione, a partner in Estero-based Trinity Commercial Group, the plaza’s leasing agent-property manager. One storefront remains unoccupied, and he said negotiations are underway with a dentist for that space.  

Anexplosion of new homes nearby, be they single-family, apartments, or condos, inspired the plaza’s owner, Naples-based Florida Star Development, to create 8590 Hammock Park Plaza and attracted the new businesses that arepopping up there, observed Mangione. 

“The appeal is, certainly, the residential growth,” he explained. “New bodies in the market are always going to lead commercial development. The commercial development is just trying to meet the demands and needs of the community.” 

Mangione cited a number of developments as clear evidence of the monumental growth that’s coming or already established, between Marco and I-75, along or near Collier Boulevard, including Florida Star Development’s Hammock Park,the265-unit luxury apartment complex, currently under construction on land adjacent to 8590 Hammock Park Plaza. 

He also pointed toHacienda Lakes, located off Rattlesnake Hammock Road, where plans call for a mixed-use development of more than 2,200 homes and the proposal to build 423 homes on what’s now a 169-acre citrus grove on Sabal Palm Road.  

Florida Star Development is also the developer seeking to build a 162,671-square-foot Costco warehouse store at Rattlesnake Hammock and Collier, near Physicians Regional-Collier Boulevard. That project has yet to be approved by the Collier County Planning Commission.  

“A lot of new rooftops, a lot of new people. And the appeal is certainly just that, to be able to serve the growing community,” said Mangione.