In the Know: Mid-year 2022 finds 6 luxury projects (and much more) coming together in SWFL

Phil Fernandez, Naples Daily News
·5 min read

Luxury has clearly become the name of the game in Collier and Lee County development. Seemingly everywhere you look, fancy hotels, homes and apartments are rising, with more planned.

The elite have a lot more disposable income to play with after the slashing of their taxes at the end of last decade so why not come with that cash to the Southwest Florida sunshine? Developers are making their dreams come true.

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Here's a sampling of the many, many projects bringing the bling in 2022 and beyond:

South China Sea to the Gulf of Mexico

A Hong Kong-based chain with an exclusive club of 29 luxury hotels from Tuscany to Hawaii has sights set on Southwest Florida for a rare housing enterprise.

Announced in May, Collier County would join Lido Key and Miami Beach as the only three U.S. branded residential projects for Rosewood Hotel & Resorts selling homes. On Earth, it has five other similar seashore endeavors in Thailand, Brazil, Mexico and the Bahamas that have lodgings for sale.

Best places to live rankings:

With sales slated to start later this year for fewer than 50 gulf front units, the Rosewood Residences Naples would emerge at 1601 Gulf Shore Blvd., where the Mansion House complex has been next to Lowdermilk Park. County records show the five acres purchased for $167 million last year.

The award-winning Ronto Group announced it has purchased the Naples Mansion House property at 1601 Gulf Shore Boulevard North in partnership with Wheelock Street Capital. The 5.25-acre beachfront condominium development site includes 482 linear feet of beach frontage on the Gulf of Mexico.
The award-winning Ronto Group announced it has purchased the Naples Mansion House property at 1601 Gulf Shore Boulevard North in partnership with Wheelock Street Capital. The 5.25-acre beachfront condominium development site includes 482 linear feet of beach frontage on the Gulf of Mexico.

Putting on the Ritz in Collier and Lee

The Ritz Carlton brand is at the center of at least a couple of luxury projects.

Its iconic 14-floor Vanderbilt Beach resort is undergoing expansion and renovations not that far off from its original $80 million price tag almost four decades ago. That's due for completion by Christmas or so.

And Ritz has plans underway for extravagant residential doings on Estero Bay, north of the Hyatt Regency Point Resort and Spa. Targeted for a 2025 arrival, the Ritz-Carlton Residences and its 224 condos in a pair of 22-story edifices are slated for 500 acres for an enterprise coordinated with London Bay Development Group. Prices start in the $2 million range.

Real estate: In the Know: Collier homes most expensive in East U.S., but is crazy COVID-era pricing ending?

Investments: In the Know: Seagate helping move development east; Safari Jane question leads to reminiscing

The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay’s illustrious service and upscale design will be steps away from Southwest Florida’s stunning waters, surrounded by natural scenery and redefining coastal living.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Estero Bay’s illustrious service and upscale design will be steps away from Southwest Florida’s stunning waters, surrounded by natural scenery and redefining coastal living.

$1 billion in hotel deals, upgrades

Last year's $362 million purchase of the 124 acres of the former Naples Beach Hotel was just the start of a transformation.

The new owners aren't nearly done spending money for the Four Seasons and new complex where work began in late April. Based on a similar project in Fort Lauderdale, at least another $200 million will not be surprising. Completion is targeted for late 2024.

And that one's of several hotel deals that have taken place the past two months and will spur more activity including the $156 million for the Inn on Fifth and a $248 million agreement featuring the Naples Grande Beach Resort.

The demolition of Naples Beach Hotel on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 in Naples, Fla.
The demolition of Naples Beach Hotel on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 in Naples, Fla.

More In the Know:

Stretching Fifth Avenue South?

The most congested intersection in the city of Naples is slated for a rising AC Marriott and nearly adjacent Gulfshore Playhouse.

The goal has been to finish erecting both by late 2023 on Goodlette-Frank Road, off Tamiami Trail. Some Naples leaders consider the projects important to better linking the ritzy shopping stretch of Fifth Avenue South to the Design District and surrounding area.

"This area in the next five years is just going to be so much more rich and cultural," said Elizabeth Kurtz, a business developer at Kurtz Homes and president of the Naples Design District's association.

An exterior look of the education center at the new Gulfshore Playhouse state-of-the-art Baker Theatre and Education Center, set to open in fall 2023 near the intersection of First Avenue South and Goodlette-Frank Road.
An exterior look of the education center at the new Gulfshore Playhouse state-of-the-art Baker Theatre and Education Center, set to open in fall 2023 near the intersection of First Avenue South and Goodlette-Frank Road.

By the way: In the Know: 'High-end' hotel slated for most congested spot in Naples

And: Naples Design District continues to evolve

Naples gateway to hotel, development

The Tamiami Trail and Davis Boulevard area is scheduled to usher in The Ellington, a 10-story, 126-room hotel topped with 24 swanky condos and the 15-story Aura at Metropolitan Naples, with its 56 luxury residences.

With a $110 million investment, the completion goal for the 1.98-acre former is late 2023, according to developers.

And for the 5.3-acre latter, with units going for as much as $6 million-plus, the target is finishing this first phase by 2024. Its top floor infinity sky pool and fitness center is to overlook Naples Bay, downtown Naples and the Gulf of Mexico.

Aura at Metropolitan Naples will include restaurants, boutique shops and office spaces on its street level.
Aura at Metropolitan Naples will include restaurants, boutique shops and office spaces on its street level.

More coverage: In the Know: New Hilton brand hitting Naples, Fort Myers; changes coming to Lee County riverfront

And: Naples luxury projects advance in area long targeted for revitalization

Urban trendy Fort Myers; 'The Irving' now plans 98 'very unique' units

The Fort Myers waterfront is undergoing changes and one of the big additions preliminarily approved for downtown is 'The Irving' — a luxury apartment building at the east end of Bay Street that is growing from the originally planned investment.

"The project has evolved," Alzada Company Director of Marketing Jane Brickley Disla said, just before the Memorial Day weekend. "Plans for the project have grown from 60 to 98 units, nine to 12 stories, and the budget from $25.5 million to $48 million."

Trendy urban professionals are the target for a planned 60-unit apartment tower in downtown Fort Myers. "The Irving" would rise at Bay and Lee streets.
Trendy urban professionals are the target for a planned 60-unit apartment tower in downtown Fort Myers. "The Irving" would rise at Bay and Lee streets.

More: Developer gets tax break for luxury apartment complex in downtown Fort Myers

The city will provide a $4 million property tax break for Alzada, led by Rebekah MacFarlane Barney, daughter of Robert MacFarlane, who has developed several properties in the region. The building will be engineered to provide views of the river and urban atmosphere of First Street. As part of "very unique" units, developers have in mind a "sun study," making sure Irving's denizens receive the best Old Sol has to offer.

Based at the Naples Daily News, Columnist Phil Fernandez (pfernandez@gannett.com) writes In the Know as part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, which supplemented this report. Support Democracy and subscribe to a newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Luxury apartment home, hotel projects to watch for in Collier, Lee