City Council has questions about Naples Airport’s commitment to safety
Tim Aten Knows
Tim Aten
Businesses coming throughout Collier
Q: Do you know what’s going in the old Stein Mart space by Publix?
Thanks! – Dana Laskowsky Bilicki, Pelican Bay
Q: What’s going on at the Sunshine Ace at Pelican Bay Marketplace? Work seems to have come to a halt. – Larry Hughes, Naples
A: Sunshine Ace Hardware will take the majority of the space Stein Mart vacated in 2020 after operating for nearly 25 years in The Marketplace at Pelican Bay on the southwest corner of U.S. 41 North and Vanderbilt Beach Road.
“Our plan is that we will hopefully be open by the first week in September,” Sunshine Ace Hardware President Michael Wynn said.
Work is progressing inside the 20,190-square-foot space at 8811 Tamiami Trail N., said leasing agent Andrew J. Saluan of AJS Realty Group.
“Everything is moving full tilt on Ace,” Saluan said. “Things just took longer at the county [level] than anticipated.”
Another tenant has not been signed yet for the neighboring 15,800-square-foot space remaining from the Stein Mart vacancy in the Publix-anchored center.
Elsewhere in Marketplace at Pelican Bay, Regatta opened a new See ATEN KNOWS, Page 11A
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PADDLE SEASON
Many nonprofits set records for fun, giving
By Therese McDevitt terry.mcdevitt@naplespress.com
When it comes to holding up their auction paddles to raise money for nonprofits, Naples gala patrons are on a record-setting roll.
It’s not just the Naples Winter Wine Festival, which set a new record in 2025 with $34 million raised for Naples Children and Education Foundation in support of nearly 50 area organizations.
For perspective, the Met Gala — the hyper-glam fundraiser each May that supports the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City with the help of global celebrities and Vogue editor Anna Wintour — raised $26 million in 2024, which was a record to that time for the event.
During what The Naples Press has dubbed “paddle season” in Naples
— its own season-within-a-season filled with galas galore — many nonprofits set records this year, as well, with more than $45 million raised, listed here, that were held between November 2024 and March 2025.
While this list is not exhaustive and focuses primarily on galas featuring auctions or fund-a-need paddle raises, with a few exceptions, it shows just how successful this season was for nonprofits supporting areas including the arts; children and education; health and community; seniors; social services; the environment; and nature and animals.
Galas help bring nonprofit missions to life
What is behind the money-raising magic that might make Wintour wonder just what is going on down here in Naples? How do local
See PADDLES, Page 8A
Her long road: Noemi Perez remembers motherhood before adulthood
By Harriet Howard Heithaus harriet.heithaus@naplespress.com
Some written announcements of motherhood don’t begin with a baby shower list of onesies, diapers and other musthaves. Noemi Perez’s began with a note, quietly left on the kitchen table for her parents.
She was 15 and too terrified to face them with the news: She was pregnant.
Perez remembers the emotions, racing around her head like a swarm of angry flies: “There was the fear of letting my parents know. Of some shame and embarrassment. And [I
was] sort of disappointed, too, because of everything everyone would say about people in Immokalee — specifically girls in Immokalee — it was like I proved that now, because I’m pregnant. And what is that going to do for my future?”
She feared most of all that she would not escape the cycle of menial jobs to which teen mothers seemed confined. To delay one dreaded moment, she revealed her condition in a note, deposited it and left for school.
“Then, in the middle of the day, I was called down to the office with the announcement that my parent was there to pick me up. And my heart dropped to my stomach,” she said.
See PEREZ, Page 6A
Patrons gave generously at the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples gala on
Photo by Charlie McDonald Photography
Noemi Perez
HEALTH CARE
A major step forward
NCH Wingard Stroke Institute pioneers advanced stroke treatment with FDA-approved Neuroguard IEP System
At Naples Comprehensive Health, we are committed to delivering world-class care and advancing medical innovation to improve patient outcomes. As NCH president & CEO, I am proud to share that our Wingard Stroke Institute is leading the way in stroke treatment by adopting the FDA-approved Neuroguard IEP System — an advanced technology that enhances the safety and effectiveness of carotid artery procedures.
Next in Health
Paul Hiltz, NCH
highest standard of care. The introduction of the Neuroguard IEP System at our Wingard Stroke Institute provides enhanced patient safety, improved outcomes and a new benchmark for comprehensive stroke care.
The NCH Wingard Stroke Institute has been recognized for its excellence in stroke treatment, offering a full spectrum of advanced therapies. This latest innovation further strengthens our mission to provide leadingedge, patient-centered care.
At NCH, we continuously seek out the latest advancements to ensure our patients receive the
The Neuroguard IEP System is a groundbreaking, three-in-one carotid stent and neuroprotection device that significantly reduces the risk of embolic debris reaching the brain during procedures. This innovation is a major step forward in the treatment of carotid artery disease, a leading cause of stroke, and reinforces our dedication to utilizing the most advanced medical solutions available.
Carotid artery disease affects millions of Americans, and while traditional interventions have been effective, they come with the risk of procedural stroke due to dislodged plaque. By integrating an advanced filtration system, the Neuroguard IEP System addresses this challenge, offering our patients a safer and more effective treatment option.
one complaint per 4,000 moves.
While Collier County isn’t currently flooded with complaints, the emerging cases paint a concerning picture of how quickly a move can go wrong.
At the heart of many of these disputes is a murky arrangement between moving brokers and third-party moving services, Cunningham said. Brokers operate as middlemen, promising affordable estimates while contracting the work out to companies the customer never interacts with until moving day. In the past, brokers were allowed to provide firm quotes. That changed in July 2024, after a surge in complaints revealed a consistent bait-and-switch pattern. A new Florida law requires brokers to register with the state and disclose their role upfront. They’re now barred from giving cost estimates, and violators face steep fines or even felony charges.
“Whenever there’s a broker involved, it seems to have an extra layer of complexity,” Cunningham said. For instance, a broker might say $3,000, but when the movers arrive, they claim it’s a $6,000 job, leaving the client cornered.
The urgency of relocation only makes it worse. Few have the time or leverage to delay deliveries or dispute charges mid-move. Most have no option but to comply — even if it means draining their savings.
Adam Demers, president of Naples-based Demers Moving of SWFL, said anyone can fall victim to moving scams, even when working with a moving company directly, without proper research.
“I believe it’s equal across the board,” he said, when it comes to who can suffer harm. “There are many clients in high-end neighborhoods who will ask if we are licensed and insured, but will not request proper documentation to prove it.”
Demanding proof is a critical step. “This is extremely crucial to protect the client and their assets,” he said. “A non-licensed moving company means they don’t operate legally or responsibly, which can cause a moving nightmare.”
Demers advises potential customers to request a Certificate of Insurance and the company’s IM# license. “If that moving company provides one, then they’re 100% fully licensed,” he said.
In Florida, legal movers must hold a USDOT number provided by U.S. Department of Transportation, an IM#, valid insurance and a local business permit. Scams persist when a company is trusted at face value.
“You can literally create a free business listing online, or a paid advertisement, without showing any credentials of being fully licensed and insured,” Demers said. “The Better Business Bureau is the number one platform to search if a company is fully licensed and insured.”
Carmen Dellutri, attorney at Dellutri Law Group serving Collier County and beyond, said he’s handled multiple complaints from residents whose moving experiences went wrong. Many victims find themselves with few options if they didn’t do enough research up front.
With this new technology, we are elevating the standard of stroke prevention and treatment in Southwest Florida. Our expert team remains dedicated to using the most advanced techniques to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients.
BEFORE YOU SIGN ANYTHING, ASK:
• Will you provide proof of your license and insurance coverage?
• What’s your USDOT number?
• Can you give me a written estimate with all potential fees included?
• Do you require a deposit, and if so, how much?
• What’s your policy if items are lost or damaged during the move?
• Will my belongings be stored at any point, and where?
• Can I visit your physical office or warehouse?
• What happens if the delivery is delayed or not completed?
• Do you use subcontractors or your own crew?
• Do your contracts include an arbitration clause, and what does that mean for me?
“Most contracts that I’ve seen contain what’s called an arbitration provision. It’s an alternative dispute resolution. You’re now going to an arbitrator who will make a decision,” he said. The process can be expensive and time-consuming, and one might not get all they are entitled to.
Dellutri said people planning to move should begin researching movers six to eight weeks before the move. Ask for referrals from friends and family, put a call out on Facebook and visit the moving company’s office, if possible.
He also recommended checking a company’s U.S. Department of Transportation number through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and consulting resources such as Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move, a federally distributed booklet outlining consumer protections.
If you’re ready for a contract, Dellutri suggested using ChatGPT to review the document by uploading the PDF and asking it to identify red flags, hidden terms or anything you should be wary of. You can even include a prompt along the lines of, “Read this contract and highlight any legal, financial or ethical concerns.”
Before moving day, Dellutri said to treat it like hurricane prep: “Walk through your house with your cell phone and take photos and videos of everything and talk your way through it.” Say what the items are, where you got them, how much you paid and what condition they are in; and create a spreadsheet with all the items being moved.
On the day of, “Document everything that goes in that truck and comes off that truck, taking pictures of all your furniture before it gets wrapped and after it gets unwrapped,” he said, adding that you don’t need permission from the movers to do this.
Finally, know that paying more for a legitimate moving company beforehand can offer peace of mind in the long run. And if you are faced with a scam, don’t hesitate to get legal help, Dellutri said. “If there’s a problem, reach out to an attorney immediately.”
The implementation of the Neuroguard IEP System is just one example of how we are transforming healthcare and ensuring that the residents of Naples and beyond have access to the most advanced treatments available.
To learn more about stroke treatment and the services offered at the NCH Wingard Stroke Institute, visit nchmd.org
Paul Hiltz is president and CEO of Naples Comprehensive Health.
As we look to the future, NCH remains steadfast in our commitment to innovation, excellence and the wellbeing of our community.
Church can proceed with expansion
After nearly 15 years in a former furniture showroom, Naples Community Church received its final approval to build a larger, resilient contemporary church.
The city Design Review Board unanimously approved a final design review for the church, fellowship space, administration spaces and classrooms at 849 7th Avenue S., designed by David Corban Architects and DWY Landscape Architects. It will be constructed by BUILD LLC.
The church already was approved by city staff, the Planning Advisory Board and City Council and had to meet seven conditions stipulated by the DRB in June 2023, including art and landscaping, before it could apply for building permits.
“The palette is intentionally designed to bloom in the spring, particularly around Easter,” Laura Patterson, DWY’s senior manager, told the board, adding that variation, accent color, texture and form provide yearround visual interest. “This was exceptionally important to the client as the blooms reflect the highlight and hope of the season.”
Construction comes at a time when churches are decreasing in attendance nationwide. The National Council of Churches estimates 100,000 churches will close in the next few years, about one-quarter of all churches.
Naples Community Church began in a home and expanded to a local bank, NCH Baker Hospital and then Naples High School before leasing the current building near City Hall for 2009 Easter services. In 2013, the church purchased the 0.08-acre lot and building for $2.25 million, and in 2021, it bought 0.36 acres at 950 Sixth Ave. S. to expand parking.
The church will build in two phases, first razing the Seventh South Craft Food + Drink space and office spaces, allowing the church to continue meeting during construction.
The new building will be about 30,000 square feet, with 316 seats in the sanctuary, an increase from 222. Corban revised plans to add more light, especially behind the pulpit, stained glass windows and a separate steeple tower. Plans also include an agreement with the city for off-site parking on an adjacent lot at 950 Sixth Ave. S. A neighboring office building also allows parishioners to park there.
The church will feature arches, an expansive entryway, fellowship room and contemplative courtyard. It will be resilient to hurricanes and flooding, while landscaping and a new stormwater system will improve drainage and erosion. Green space will be increased because cars can park beneath the elevated church, and other parking areas will be replaced with landscaping.
Others on the project team are Trebilcock Consulting Solutions, engineer James Carr of Agnoli Barber & Brundage Inc., Sesco Lighting and John Boatright, a former Delta Airlines executive who helped a major airport with its phased expansion.
~ Aisling Swift
A Demers Moving of SWFL moving truck. Photo courtesy Demers Moving
Finale for Southwest Florida Symphony
By Harriet Howard Heithaus harriet.heithaus@naplespress.com
The Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra will close its doors June 30, leaving Lee and Charlotte counties without the professional orchestra they’ve had for 64 years. Operational restrictions, increased performance costs and loss of state funding contributed to the decision.
“After much consideration and given recent leadership departures at the staff and board levels, the board of trustees has determined that the only course of action is to close the Southwest Florida Symphony,” board of trustees President Tom Uhler said in a statement April 29.
“It was a difficult decision, and I’m proud of the board’s commitment to the Symphony with consideration for the staff, the musicians, the donors and community. We appreciate everyone’s support over the years.”
The decision was one of fiscal responsibility, he said in a later interview. Uhler recalled that the orchestra had come through a crisis a dozen years ago, during the recession, by appealing to the public with a Save Our Symphony campaign after it had cut staff to minimal. Last year, the orchestra was hurt again by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to zero out almost all arts fundings, a $143,874 loss to the organization. The orchestra held a fundraiser to help make up the difference.
“But the problem is those are a shot in the arm,” he said. “It doesn’t serve the long-term problem.
“You may not have the perfect storm, but you have a pretty bad storm,” he continued. “You’ve got classical music struggling all across the country because younger people who are retiring now did not grow up with classical music, so they’re not going to support it.
“There are limited venues,” he continued. “We don’t own a hall, so we’re at the mercy of the few halls that are available at whatever cost. And there’s getting to be more and more competition all the time.”
Just recently, for example, Fort Myers became a selected venue for Candlelight Concerts, operated
by a Spain-based organization.
Those feature pops and light classical material performed by an assembled quartet, brass ensemble or piano, with a mood set by electric candlelight.
Natural disasters, such as hurricanes Irma and Ian and the COVID-19 pandemic, played a strong role, also.
“The pandemic and then the storms really did cut attendance,” Uhler said. “It’s just everything falling together.”
Ironically, attendance had been increasing this past season for the orchestra.
“But it still isn’t enough, because
I think 20 years ago, we probably had earned income around 40%,” he said of ticket sales’ contribution to the budget. “Now we’re down to around 20%. You can’t raise your ticket prices too much because obviously that chases people off, too. It’s just that the costs keep going up and the income doesn’t.”
The orchestra leaves a void in regional live orchestral music presentations. Each season, the orchestra presented a series of Masterworks concerts, Pops concerts and Holiday Pops concerts at both the 1,850-seat Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers and multiple
smaller venues throughout Lee and Charlotte counties.
Lee County will not be without orchestral music. The Fort Myersbased Gulf Coast Symphony, which incorporates professional and volunteer musicians, also offers regional concerts. It has recently expanded its concerts with the opening of the 300-seat Music and Arts Community Center in 2021 in south Fort Myers and performs 15 shows at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. Its programming, however, hews more toward pops music.
The Southwest Florida Symphony also had moved through a series of music directors over the last several years, and Executive Director Amy Ginsburg announced she would leave June 30.
“We are honored to have the longtime support of many donors, supporters and concert goers who have shared our love for orchestral music over the years,” the statement from Uhler said. “While we bid farewell to this chapter, the Southwest Florida Symphony team remains committed to preserving the rich legacy of orchestral music and its impact on the community.”
The orchestra was established as the Fort Myers Symphony in 1961 as a community orchestra consisting of 24 volunteer musicians. The symphony performed concerts in community centers, schools and churches, growing a regional following. In 1981, it merged with a chorus and became the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Association.
Nir Kabaretti conducts the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra with vocalist Lisa Vroman. Courtesy Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra
New townhouses, condos planned for Naples Design District
By Aisling Swift
A three-story multifamily building with 30 homes in Naples Design District has received preliminary approval by the city Design Review Board.
It’s the second time preliminary plans for 1080 First Ave. S. came before the DRB, and they’ve since been revised, including lightening the color scheme, adding architectural detail and moving dumpsters and the driveway entry. Rezoning and approval by City Council aren’t required, and plans are undergoing site-plan approval by city planning staff.
At the April 23 DRB meeting, members appreciated the improvements, noting the architect and landscape architect added landscaped buffers and other changes to address concerns by Naples Square neighbors, the DRB and city staff.
“It’s to everybody’s advantage to do this,” Chair Stephen Hruby said of MHK Architecture and Architectural Land Design.
Although it’s sandwiched between two
That’s the painful recollection of the woman who is now the executive director of the Immokalee Foundation. Perez today administers an organization successfully focused on helping students thrive in primary grades and aspire in secondary:
Of the 1,396 Immokalee Foundation students served through its education programs in 2024, 100% graduated from high school and were accepted at universities, colleges or technical programs; past figures show 93% of those graduate from their postsecondary institutions.
A long road, with ruts
No one appreciates the need for education more than Perez, who counts herself more fortunate than most. Her boyfriend was 18 and ready to join the work force; he was aware of her pregnancy and wanted to marry her, and Perez began a new life as his wife, though the two had to live with his parents for their first several years of marriage.
Perez did not give up her studies.
“He’s always been very supportive, you know, because he always knew that I was the one that wanted — that dreamed for — more, that wanted to continue my education,” she said of her husband, Juan “Jay” Perez. “So that was never anything that he was ever questioning.” But she felt deserted by her high school.
“I had one teacher that he … did talk to me about pursuing further education,” she said.
“To be honest, I think part of it was, I was a freshman and I was pregnant,” Perez observed. “I think for some people they kind of give up on them already.
“It’s like, what’s the point? You know, she’s already having to stress with this situation and again, being in a small town, there’s not a lot of opportunity. What were they going to say? So I think part of that was mixed into it, as well.”
Perez’s parents encouraged her, too. Her mother had never attended school, and her father had only been through elementary years. She chuckled at his goal: For her to be able to work in a place that was airconditioned. Still, he insisted on a good work ethic.
parking garages, Hruby said it’s not overpowered by them due to the “ingenious” design, and homeowners wouldn’t notice that.
Letters were sent to 782 surrounding property owners, with only one responding this time — and DRB members agreed those concerns were addressed.
At close to 2½ acres, the parcel is in the city’s Design District, an eclectic mix of art and design businesses, local shops, boutiques, restaurants, emerging businesses and national brands. The property, owned by Texas-based GeoSouthern Intermediate Holdings LLC, is the final parcel on the south side of First Avenue South between 10th Street and Goodlette-Frank Road to submit redevelopment plans.
The urban-infill project will replace four single-story metal storage buildings built between 1979 and 1982.
The L-shaped parcel is surrounded by The Collective, a three-story design hub featuring art and home furnishings to the west; five-story Naples Square I and Naples Square III condos to the south; a city parking garage under construction, and the Wynn family’s undevel-
oped parcel to the east, which is undergoing site plan approvals for mixed-use development and two vacant parcels to the north.
Plans include six residences, a lobby and 30 private, covered parking garages on the first floor, while the second floor features a large pool and pool deck with 10 homes, MHK National Director Mark McLean told the DRB, adding there are 14 more on the third floor. Four homes at the rear will be two-story townhomes, each with a private pool on the south side, he said, and there will be a dog park at the east end.
On the far east leg of the property, just south of the parking garage, he said, is a one-story amenity area with a large social room and a multi-flex fitness center that also would accommodate yoga, in addition to restrooms and locker rooms for men and women.
Landscape architect Christian Andrea said the dog park will feature benches and small patios, and townhouse pools will be elaborate, with “a lot of design features,” including patios, bubbler fountains and shade shelves. The larger curved pool for the other homes will offer a deck, seating, umbrellas and a
variety of plantings.
The entire site will feature raised planters, large trees, a variety of palms, shrubs, ground cover, flowers and trees, including flowering trees such as vera wood.
Andrea already addressed concerns by Naples Square neighbors 20 feet away, including a view of rooftops, but assured the DRB and staff he’ll look for ways to screen and buffer to address the Naples Square III neighbor’s complaint about proximity to the fitness building.
City Planner Erica Martin noted the redesign had already addressed most concerns from the June 2024 DRB meeting and the developer will return to the DRB for final design review once it finishes the site-plan approval process with staff. That’s required before it can obtain building permits.
The DRB unanimously approved plans with 10 conditions, including preventing spillover of bright light onto Naples Square to the south, adding understory plantings to Washingtonia palms, removing sun shades and adding climbing vines to the garage’s aluminum screening to the north.
“My father always told me that no matter what job you have, you work it like 100%. You give 110% no matter what,” she recalled.
And after several years of staffing the produce stand her husband’s family owned, traveling to Tennessee for crop picking each summer and learning produce negotiations, Noemi Perez’s 100% work ethic paid off. She took a job at the local Winn-Dixie, and a regular customer decided this young cashier with a winning attitude and a friendly smile was a candidate for a position with the health department. The new position gave her the incentive to study again.
But with another job and family, the hourlong drives to Fort Myers three times a week to Florida SouthWestern State College stretched her to the limit. Juan Perez had a similar work ethic, and before long he was in construction — and the couple also were building their own house, their first home.
Stability, no; experience, yes
In the meantime, Noemi Perez’s work with the health department was about to disappear, as would other grant-funded jobs.
“I had to find another job. So I
ended up working at the Sheriff’s office for the Drill Academy,” she said. “The Drill Academy then closed down, so I had to find another job. It just seemed to kind of be like I was in a pinball machine, going back and forth. But I will say that it allowed me to learn different industries.”
She even worked for a while in her husband’s construction business, and now has a state residential contractor certification. But somehow her name made it to the Immokalee Foundation and Perez found herself serving as the foundation’s student advocate.
By that time she had had so much experience interfacing with clients, customers and contractors that her students didn’t believe she was from Immokalee.
“‘You’re too professional. You don’t seem like someone from here,’” she repeated their words. “And I just, I was really taken aback by that, you know. But it was also a moment for me to recognize that I was seen as different.”
She began telling her life story to students to encourage them: No matter how many obstacles face them, they can move forward. She also made the decision to return to college “because I couldn’t sit
there and tell the students how important continued education is if I hadn’t done it myself, right? And so I completed my degree at Hodges University in business administration.” Her daughter, Destiny, would observe from a budding teenager’s perspective.
“She would go into her bedroom and sacrifice that time to focus to get done what she had to get done,” Destiny recalled. Her father would cook dinner — no problem because “he’s a brilliant cook” — and handle parenting with her and her younger brother.
“She’s always been determined, and ambitious — reaching for the stars. And eventually getting there!” Destiny said proudly.
Today’s painful issues
After serving in several other positions at the Immokalee Foundation, Noemi Perez came to the position she’s in today. She hasn’t stopped talking with students. She’s particularly proud of the Foundation’s Pathways to Success program, which introduces Foundation students to a wide number of careers and offers mentors to help them know their chosen fields. It opens vistas Perez
“My father always told me that no matter what job you have, you work it like 100%. You give 110% no matter what.”
—Noemi Perez
wishes she had been given in high school.
Still, Perez said as a student, and as a mother, she’s glad she didn’t have today’s teen challenges of peer pressure and social media. Mental health issues among teens and preteens are on the rise, she observed.
“Social media has not helped, and I think there’s a lot of lack of selfworth and confidence,” Perez said. “They compare themselves to what they see. There’s the cyberbullying, so you have students — or not even students, I mean just people, even adults — doing it.” In Immokalee, a town where immigrants are a good percentage of the population, there is a particular fear. Students worry they will come home from school and their parents will be gone — deported by ICE with no notice, no communication, no recourse they’re aware of. Both raise questions neither the Immokalee Foundation nor anyone else can answer currently. But the Foundation offers any resources it has. Perez sympathizes, from a firsthand perspective, with facing hard situations.
“I always felt, and my father always said, in life, always learn in any type of experience, whether good or bad. And he said, ‘Sometimes your life won’t go as planned. Just see it as a detour,’” she said. “‘You’re going to take these detours in life to get to your ultimate goal.’
“So I always pursued my life that way … When I would get a no, I would just think of it: ‘OK, not right now, but one day.’”
Back row, left, Juan “Jay” Perez, Noemi’s husband, with their son Juan Jr. and seated, left, daughter Destiny Perez, with Noemi Y. Perez, and Juan Jr.’s wife Kathleen Perez, plus their baby, Aiden, share a family portrait. Photo courtesy Immokalee Foundation
By Randy Kambic
Naples Airport was originally created to help protect the country. With Memorial Day approaching (May 26), a poignant period of local history to learn more about is what took place at the present-day airport site and in our region during World War II.
The Naples Army Air Field was built by the Army Corps of Engineers after our entry into WWII and was activated in 1943. Several hundred servicemen were trained in approximately 75 fighter planes — including North American AT-6 Texans, Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and several types of Bell-made aircraft — to be pilots for fighting overseas. Lessons included how to protect bomber planes on their missions; combat enemy planes; attack targets on the ground; and conduct reconnaissance.
America’s Military & 1st Responders Museum
Several rental car desks are across the hallway from the nonprofit museum in the airport’s North Road Terminal.
“People rent a car, see our sign and come in,” said Dave Hinds, a Vietnam War Marine Corps infantry veteran and president of the museum since 2019. “Everyone is fascinated by it.”
The museum, which first opened in 2011 as the Naples Museum of Military History, showcases 12,000plus items in approximately 900 square feet, from the Revolutionary War through the U.S. war in Afghanistan. “Ninety-five percent of them [weapons, medals, uniforms, books, photos and much more] have been donated by veterans or other family members,” Hinds said.
A chart is displayed which indicates the types and models of fighter planes that were flown here. Items pertaining to WWII pilot training in other regions are also showcased, including a group photo of some Tuskegee Airmen.
“The reason the airport is here is due to the war,” Hinds said, adding that bullets found on local beaches from strafing training that took place have been donated to the
Past heroes in Collier skies
Timely reflection on World War II training
museum over the years. Hinds and other volunteers also go out into the community to talk about U.S. military history.
Collier Museum at Government Center
This facility, one of five sep -
arate county museums, opened in 1978. Youngsters, either with their parents or on school trips, are astounded to realize how much less developed Naples was during WWII by seeing a photo of a fighter plane flying over largely barren land.
“Both lots of open land that could be developed [for air fields] and sunny skies made our area ideal for pilot training,” said Amanda Townsend, museum director. Many adults are intrigued with the “engineering of the air strip, how it was built so quickly.”
Gazing at a group photo of GIs on a Naples beach on one of two panels and displays related to pilot training, she remarked that they would change clothes in the bushes. “The community didn’t really care for that, so that led to restrooms being built at the pier,” Townsend said.
The museum also features displays on Calusa natives, Spanish conquistadors, pioneer families, hurricanes and many more topics in its 1,600-square-foot building. A reproduction of a Seminole war fort and an actual WWII Sherman tank are among many outdoor attractions. Monthly lectures and family days are held.
Other area facilities where fighter pilots were trained during WWII were Immokalee Regional Airport, Page Field (in Fort Myers) and Punta Gorda Army Airfield (now Charlotte Regional Airport). Machine gunners for bombers learned the skills at Buckingham Army Airfield (now Lee County Mosquito Control District) in Fort Myers. Venice Army Airfield (now Venice Municipal Airport) was primarily used to train mechanics to repair fighter-plane engines. All of the facilities, including in Naples, were transferred to cities and counties after the war. Many barracks were turned into affordable housing. Some servicemen enjoyed our area so much that they relocated here with their families, a phenomenon that “contributed to a population boom here,” Townsend said.
“There are so many connections between this period of history and present-day Naples,” Townsend said, including that the official call letters for Naples Airport are APF, for Alternative Page Field.
America’s Military & 1st Responders Museum , 500 Terminal Drive. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-3 p.m. Sunday. amfrm.org
Collier Museum at Government Center , 3331 Tamiami Trail E. Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. 239.252.8476, colliermuseums.com
Seasonal Naples residents Larry Goode and Richard Strong, a U.S. Army veteran, check out a Vietnam War-era exhibition at the America’s Military & 1st Responders Museum at the Naples Airport. Photo by Randy Kambic
RIGHT: Dave Hinds, president of the America’s Military & 1st Responders Museum and a Vietnam War Marine Corps infantry veteran, reviews a chart detailing the types of fighter planes that were used for pilot training at the Naples Army Air Field during World War II. Photo by Randy Kambic
celebrating her 20th birthday the night of the event and is a college student who had never dreamed of being able to go to college, let alone have the tremendous success she is having as a student,” Goldfield said. “So, for the investors in our organization who are there to celebrate with us, it’s a chance for them to see the impact of how they are making a difference in many children’s and teen’s lives.”
Goldfield said she invited all of the teens from the Rob’s Cottage program to the event so that supporters had the chance to interact with some of the older children served by Youth Haven.
“Rob’s Cottage is a program for homeless teens, with a 90% success rate, ensuring that our homeless teens in this community aren’t homeless adults,” she said. “I think getting to hear firsthand from someone who has lived in — and been successful in — our program really makes a difference.”
In the arts arena, Gulfshore Playhouse brought down the house for the 455 guests at its Once Upon a Dream Gala with show-stopping performances that literally put the spotlight on the organization’s new $72 million Baker Theater and Education Center.
This time, heartfelt smiles and laughter took the place of heartfelt tears shed at the American Heart Association and Youth Haven events. Patrons enjoyed performances that brought to life Gulfshore Playhouse’s mission to create world-class professional theatre and unique education opportunities in Naples.
Kristen Coury, the organization’s founder, CEO and producing artistic director, said its gala — which raised almost $2.6 million this year — supports the Annual Fund for Artistic Excellence, which she called “the heartbeat of our existence every year.”
“Our gala is like the ‘anti gala,’ it’s 95% entertaining and 5% fundraising,” Coury said when asked about what sets it apart from others. “We don’t have a live auction or a silent auction; the whole night we’re entertaining and also making the case for why this organization should be important to you and raising your quality of life.
“We’re offering events and engagement opportunities for the community, offering up professional theatre and incredible educational opportunities for ages 5 to 105. And therefore, if you believe in this organization, what this organization is doing, we hope you will be generous tonight, instead of saying ‘Your $5 will help us buy a can of paint.’”
She said this year’s gala, the first to be held in the new facility since its completion, was especially meaningful.
“It really was a wonderful evening for us, with the excitement that we could celebrate with everybody about the building we’ve been talking about for so many years,” Coury said. “We can finally say, ‘Hey, we did that all together, and thank you so much for your support.’ ”
Auction items fuel fun, amp up giving
In addition to the heartwarming stories and lively performances shared at many area galas, specialists take the stage to persuade, cajole and inspire patrons to reach a bit further into their pockets to keep the momentum going while bidding on items ranging from luxurious trips to destinations around the globe, premium golf packages to once-in-a-lifetime culinary experiences.
At each event that features an auction or paddle raise, highly skilled auctioneers keep the energy elevated and the totals climbing as the evening progresses, with guests on the edge of their seats as everyone waits to see if a new record is set, and who walks away with a coveted item.
Popular auctioneers including Gabriel Butu, Chris Marchand, Rick Gallo and John Terrio seemed to be everywhere this season, fueling the fun and keeping the friendly competition going back and forth until the final “going once, going twice …” was called.
A sampling of this season’s auction items that kept paddles
in the air: • A trip to Milan for the women’s show at Dolce and Gabbana during fall fashion week, sold for $45,000 at Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples’ Night at the Museum gala; Private dinner and concert with Andrea Bocelli on the Tyrrhenian Sea, and a trip to Luciano Pavarotti’s hometown hosted and curated by Nicoletta Pavarotti at the Opera Naples gala; A Ryder Cup experience with premium access to one of the world’s top golf tournaments at the Grace Place gala. And while the David Lawrence Center’s Sound Minds signature event didn’t include an auction, Dennis Quaid, the Emmy-winning actor who served as keynote speaker, auctioned off a round of golf with him the following day at The Ritz-Carlton Naples, Tiburon.
• Therese McDevitt
The scene at C’MON (Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples) Night at the Museum: The Color Factory gala on Feb. 8.
Luxury suites planned for Inn expansion
By Aisling Swift
Naples’ 27-year-old Inn on Fifth is moving forward with another expansion. Eleven luxury three-story suites with amenities will replace a 1970s-era bank building.
The City Design Review Board on April 23 unanimously approved Napoli Owner LLC’s plans for a 35,600-square-foot expansion at 675 Fourth Ave. S. during a preliminary design review, with 16 conditions, including coordinating with the city to consider adding shade trees in the rightof-way and redesigning wraparound balconies and garage-door materials.
“This project is not only enhancing the site … but also creating more activity and a safer area, as opposed to an abandoned building at the existing site,” Renee Zepeda, of Stofft Cooney Architects, Commercial Department, told the board. It will be the hotel’s latest addition under new ownership.
The five-star Inn on Fifth opened in 1998 after local developer Phil McCabe bought a failing bank building at 699 Fifth Ave. S. in August 1996 for $2.65 million and transformed it into an iconic boutique hotel. In 2010, he redeveloped commercial property across the street, adding Club Level Suites at Inn on Fifth, which offers 32 rooms with exclusive amenities. It opened in 2012, and in 2019 it underwent a $5 million renovation that also added two fine-dining restaurants, Truluck’s and Ocean Prime.
But McCabe had planned another expansion on the bank site, one block to the north of the main hotel.
In 2015, he proposed Residences at the Inn on Fifth, 51 hotel rooms, 62 multi-family condos, a restaurant and amenities, and it received preliminary DRB approval, but it didn’t move forward.
In 2022, Maryland-based Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, a publicly traded real estate investment firm, purchased the 119-room hotel and proposed residences site for $156 million.
Zepeda said the new three-story building would be “slightly below” Naples’ maximum 42-foot
height. The current small bank building, which was built in 1972, has a parking lot and a drive-thru, she said, but hasn’t been used for years so it’s deteriorating.
The 0.6-acre property is in a commercial-zoning district, surrounded by large commercial buildings and two- and three-story older residential buildings. It’s within the city’s Community Redevelopment Area, she said, noting a main goal of the CRA is to rehabilitate deteriorating areas to enhance the city lifestyle, adding projects more in line with current
architectural enhancements.
“One of the things that we wanted to make sure of was not to create a building that is completely commercial looking … a building that is just one big three-story box,” she said of the contemporary design.
Each luxury suite would span three stories and offer a kitchen, living room, balconies, a garage, courtyard and plunge pool. Guests also could swim in the main hotel’s pool, she said, noting most amenities, including a spa, will be in the main hotel, where guests
for the new suites would check in.
The palette would be a light cream stucco, with warm accents that include wood-looking and stone veneers to withstand hot weather. Walkways will be made of pervious pavers, she said, to help with drainage.
Landscape architect Christian Andrea, of Architectural Land Design, said each suite’s courtyard and pool area would feature “little yards and gardens” and overall landscaping would include flowers, ground cover and trees, including a variety of palms,
Each luxury suite would span three stories and offer a kitchen, living room, balconies, a garage, courtyard and plunge pool.
shrubs, silver buttonwoods and bougainvillea.
DRB member Irma Sefa wanted a more contemporary design, but agreed it was appropriate and blended in. She and others were concerned that garage access would be tight, but Zepeda said Davidson Engineering is still working on that.
DRB member Sabrina McCabe was concerned there wasn’t enough shade — especially with the loss of a large black olive tree at the corner — and urged Andrea to “re-look” at that. She also recommended focusing on the street perimeter along Seventh and connecting to the main hotel.
She and Vice Chair Luke Fredrickson asked if they were considering underground powerlines, which Zepeda said would be “ideal,” but hadn’t been discussed with Florida Power & Light. Fredrickson and DRB member Doug Haughey contended the design wasn’t cohesive and Chair Steve Hruby agreed, adding there needs to be better integration, especially second- and third-floor windows. “It just looks like they were two different buildings that have come together,” Hruby said.
The board approved it with conditions outlined by the DRB and staff planner Jeff Brammer. The project will now go before the Planning Advisory Board and City Council, which also must approve a conditional use permit as transient lodging in that commercial area, as well as the site plan. It will return to the DRB for a final design review before the developer can obtain building permits.
Renderings of the proposed Inn on Fifth expansion at 675 Fourth Ave.
S. Courtesy Stofft Cooney Architects, Commercial Departments
Beeline cocktail bar launches at Mercato
By Tim Aten tim.aten@naplespress.com
Beeline is counting on thirsty folks making a beeline to its new upscale cocktail bar at Mercato. The new venture’s grand opening was May 2 in the mixed-use center at U.S. 41 and Vanderbilt Beach Road in North Naples. Cincinnati-based Four Entertainment Group, or 4EG, is behind this third location — the first in Florida — for Beeline, which features a signature blend of craft concoctions, ales and spirits.
Saying that Beeline is bar-centric is an understatement.
“We do not serve food. We’re a drinks-only establishment,” said Saijal Andreadis Ryan, marketing director for 4EG. “We saw an opportunity because there’s not much like it in Naples or Southwest Florida. We thought we would fit in really well with this market.”
The 3,989-square-foot end unit at 9115 Strada Place, Suite 5155, is across the street from Bravo Italian Kitchen in the longtime former location of the Bobby Chan clothing store. The space also has been a SUNS outdoor furniture store, an Original Selfie Museum and most recently East West Fine Art, which relocated to another unit in Mercato. Expect something different there from Beeline.
“By design, while we have locations that have the same name and branding and some similar cocktails, we want the vibe and feel of each location to be unique. That way it’s not cookie-cutter. It’s exclusive to each market,” Ryan said. “In fact, we have a replica of a banyan tree inside the bar surrounded by banquette seating that is inspired by the 80-yearold banyan tree right outside of our front door at Mercato.”
The trendy new venue has a capacity for 200 guests. Its large, curved radius bar snakes across the space with two big bump-outs. There are about 45 seats at the bar with some adjacent tables.
“We’ve got a good mix of high-top tables, low-top tables and banquette seating, but the bar is really, really big, so we’ll be able to fit a lot of people at the bar,” Ryan said.
The new space also features a water-embossed gold ceiling with undulating pendant lights, custom Spanish light fixtures and ornate Christian Lacroix feathered wallpaper with a cursive neon sign mounted on a side wall that spells out “Oh Honey Honey,” accentuating the bar’s buzzy bee theme.
“The ‘Oh Honey Honey’ neon is something we have at our other locations — so you will see a couple of bar details you may see at another location but, for the most part, the overall design is unique to each location,” Ryan said.
Euro-Wall doors on the sides of the business open the space to the outdoors.
“So there is that indoor-outdoor experience,” Ryan said. “In the future, we do plan to expand our patio out with a permanent pergola system that will increase our footprint as well as our capacity, giving more outdoor seating. So, we’re really excited about that. That should, hopefully, be installed by the end of the year.”
In February, the Collier County hearing examiner followed county staff’s recommendation in approving a land development code waiver to permit Beeline’s separation distance of less than 500 feet from other Mercato establishments — Cavo, Burn and Blue
SALES
Hoffmann buys Port Royal home for $85 million
Billionaire entrepreneur David Hoffmann and his wife Jerri have a new primary residence after purchasing a 17,202-squarefoot Port Royal bayfront estate for a recordbreaking $85 million, according to officials with Gulf Coast International Properties.
The Agency’s Chris Resop with Gulf Coast International Properties Principal Timothy Savage represented the seller in the sale of 575 Admiralty Parade W. The sale was the highest price ever recorded for a single-family residence in Collier County history and the highest price for a non-beachfront single-family residence in the county, according to MLS data. Hoffmann, founder of Naples-based private equity firm Hoffmann Family of Companies, made his debut on the Forbes annual World’s Billionaire List in 2022 and climbed to 1,763rd in
RIGHT: Beeline, a drinksonly cocktail bar in Mercato, launched May 2 at 9115 Strada Place, Suite 5155, in North Naples.
Photos by Tim Aten
More new concepts coming to Mercato
In addition to Beeline, at least three other hospitality concepts are planned this year at Mercato.
Pure Green, a cold-pressed juice and smoothie chain, is targeted to open a location this summer at 9100 Strada Place, Suite 2115, the former space of Le Macaron French pastries. Shake Shack and Pura Vida Miami are coming to Mercato before the end of the year, said Lauren Ness, manager of public relations and communication for Jamestown LP, the real estate investment manager that serves as Mercato’s leasing and marketing agent.
Shake Shack, a burger chain with a devoted base, is building out part of the former Charming Charlie clothing store at 9105 Strada Place, Suite 3135. Pura Vida is bringing its health-conscious menu to the 3,800-squarefoot space that formerly hosted a series of pizzerias — Zza Baby, Naples Flatbread and Piola — in the last 15 years at 9118 Strada Place, Suite 8170.
Summie permanent jewelry also is slated to debut this summer near Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar, Ness said.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming these brands to Naples and providing new food
Martini — that sell alcohol for on-site consumption and derive less than 51% of their sales from food items.
“I think we have a product that isn’t currently seen in Mercato or Naples,” Ryan said.
2024 with a net worth of $2 billion. The eightbedroom and 10½-bath home sits on 2¼ lots with 250 feet of Naples Bay frontage.
Port Royal waterfront estate sells for $18.5M A waterfront Port Royal estate set on 1.5 expansive lots at 701 Kings Town Drive sold for $18.5 million, marking Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Broad Avenue office’s highest priced sale of 2025 to date. Marketed by Premier Sotheby’s Linda Malone, the 8,177-square-foot home built in 2006 has five bedrooms, four full bathrooms and five half bathrooms, along with a study, a four-car garage, a pool and hot tub area and private floating dock. The property previously
and beverage offerings for our guests. Each tenant brings something fresh to our culinary landscape and complements our vision of evolving Mercato’s merchandising mix to best serve the community,” said Adam Schwegman, director and head of retail leasing at Jamestown.
Expansion of the common area of Mercato’s Piazza is still going to occur, too, but the project has been temporarily delayed.
“With five new tenant openings since last summer and another five slated to debut in the coming months, including Beeline, we decided to pause the Piazza redevelopment through the opening period. We should have more information to share soon,” Ness said.
Announced last year, the project will renovate the central hardscape area in front of Bravo, Taberna Burntwood, Waxin’s and Narrative Coffee Roasters to extend the existing turf, move the royal palms and create a permanent performance stage and overhead lighting. Nine parking spaces on Strada Place will be converted into common outdoor seating and paver areas not associated with particular restaurants, plans show.
• Tim Aten
“We are not trying to be a nightclub. We want to be a comfortable, casual, yet upscale environment where anyone can come in, bring their friends and are guaranteed to have a great experience.”
Rob
CCIM, MAI, and David J. Stevens, CCIM, of Investment Properties Corp. represented the buyer and seller.
Gordon Drive home goes for $225M
An undisclosed buyer paid $225 million for a six-bedroom, 14.5-bathroom, 8,846-square-foot home,
Beeline hopes to find its niche with its elevated cocktail menu.
“We want to be that happy hour spot, the before-dinner spot, the after-dinner spot,” Ryan said. “So, while you’re shopping around Mercato, getting dinner with your family or friends or whoever it may be, we want to be a stop along the way.
“I think that’s where we differ compared to some of the other establishments. We’re a little bit different. We’re a more laid-back, yet upscale environment.”
The beverage menu at each Beeline is slightly different, but the concept shares a tried-and-true common base with its other locations in Columbus, Ohio, and in northern Kentucky on the outskirts of Cincinnati. Inspired by a bumblebee’s straight path, Beeline was named for a 19th century train route that connected Cincinnati and Columbus, so the bar’s cocktail names are influenced by both locomotives and bees.
“The Hot Shot is made with vodka, lavender and this delicious blueberry-rosemary syrup. That’s one of our most popular. We also have a non-alcoholic beverage inspired by it because it sells so well,” Ryan said. “The Sober Berry mocktail features Seedlip NA Spirit, lemon, aquafaba, blueberry-rosemary syrup and a dehydrated lemon. We also anticipate our tequila drinks will be very popular here in this market. One of my favorites is the Smokestack. It’s a little bit of a smokier tequila drink with blood orange and agave; it has a black sea salt rim and it’s garnished with a dehydrated lime. For our bourbon lovers, you’ll see another staple, our Night Train, which has Old Forester, Luxardo, Montenegro and some bitters.”
Beeline also is introducing some seasonal cocktails that are exclusive to Mercato, Ryan said.
“There’s a really, really fun take on a lemon-coconut espresso martini,” she said. “We’ll also have an exclusive menu of four spritzers for Mercato, as well. Those are unique to this specific location. So, we’ve got a good mix of popular drinks that sell at other locations, as well as new things that would fit in this market.”
Beeline also has five non-alcoholic mocktail options, including two inspired by its signature cocktails.
“The Straighten the Rails is made with honey, lemon, peach, club soda and edible flowers. It’s a beautiful-looking drink,” Ryan said. “We also have The Caboose made with that blueberry-rosemary syrup, lime juice and ginger beer.”
Beeline’s NA program includes Heineken 0.0 non-alcoholic beer, Brewdog Elvis AF beer, Liquid Death canned water, sodas, a few Red Bull varieties and a THC lemonade with a cannabis kick. Beeline’s regular cocktail menu also has frozen cocktails, house shots and seltzers; craft, domestic and imported beers; and many bourbon, rye, tequila and whiskey options.
“We’re going to have a great happy hour Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., when we have half-price happy hour. Almost everything will be half price,” Ryan said.
Beeline is open 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
“Right off the bat, Thursday through Sunday, we’ll have DJs in the evening, and then very soon we’re going to launch live acoustic sets kind of throughout the happy hour timeframe,” Ryan said. “Weekends, you can definitely expect DJs, and then we’ll be adding live entertainment shortly.”
ABOVE: Beeline’s upscale lounge in Mercato features a large radius bar and banyan tree replica.
When one thinks of real estate, the mind usually goes to the structure itself: The house. The condo. The office building. The shopping center. But communities are made up not only of structures, but the areas that surround them, as well. Streets, thoroughfares and sidewalks all play a part in how communities and commerce coexist in Southwest Florida. For residential communities, the current trend is selecting a neighborhood for its “walkability.” The idea of walkability really gained traction during the COVID-19 era, according to a recent Community & Transportation Preferences Survey published by the National Association of Realtors, the country’s largest real estate trade association.
Promoting walkability is often challenging in traffic congested towns such as Naples — especially in season. For retailers and service industries, clogs in traffic and inaccessibility also pose difficulties.
Roundabouts are becoming increasingly popular due to the benefits they provide, including dramatic reductions in serious injuries and fatal crashes, as well as reductions in delays under a wide range of traffic conditions.
Noted for their efficiency, safety, lesser environmental impact and beautification potential, roundabouts intrinsically create “traffic calming” for vehicles while also offering options for both bikers and walkers.
REAL ESTATE
It’s a beautiful ‘way’ in the neighborhood
Connie Deane with the Collier County Transportation Management Services Department explained recent advances in area roadways.
“Roundabouts provide traffic calming,” she said. “A corridor using roundabouts and lane-width reductions will see this effect. Traffic calming reduces vehicle speeds, increases road safety, reduces environmental impacts and increases comfort for non-motorized users, such as bicyclists and pedestrians,” she said.
Currently, there are approximately 20 roundabouts operating on the state highway system and more than 300 on local roads throughout the state, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Deane and her team expect the benefits to change the way we live and work, as well as how we share our roadways.
“All of this leads to more livable communities with increased neighborhood interaction, enhanced aesthetic values and increased property values. Many community members have commented that the roundabouts are aesthetically pleasing and provide the opportunity for landscaping and beautification of the area,” Deane said.
The Federal Highway Administration agrees. The FHA noted switching from intersections to roundabouts can benefit both the residents and businesses in the community — and since they can continue operating smoothly during times of power outage, this is especially important to Floridians. After storms, traffic is not impeded by non-functioning signalization.
When navigated properly, these
ASK A COMMERCIAL ADVISOR
traffic circles result in fewer severe crashes; the FHA estimated 75% fewer injuries and reductions in bicycle crashes.
With vehicles continuously moving, there is a time-saving benefit, as well. Without time spent idling at traffic signals, vehicles disperse less exhaust. Roundabouts also eliminate the need for tuwwrning lanes, thus taking up less space. With cars moving more efficiently, nearby businesses can be accessed more conveniently by both vehicles and pedestrians.
“There are several roundabouts on Collier County-maintained roadways,” Deane said. “The Collier County Transportation Management Services Department completed the construction on the interconnection of Whippoorwill Lane and Marbella Lakes Drive a few
years ago, and that project included four roundabouts. This renovation has allowed traffic to flow more expediently through the region.”
Ongoing alterations to area roadways will increase livability for walkers, riders and drivers alike.
“The first benefit is better connectivity and access along the project corridor,” Deane said. “The residential community along Marbella Lakes Drive has direct access to Pine Ridge Road and I-75 via Whippoorwill Lane, and the new alignment reduces travel to I-75 by more than three-quarters of a mile.”
In addition to improving access and providing additional route choices for residents and businesses along the Whippoorwill Lane and Marbella Lakes Drive project area, Deane added another benefit: “This interconnection also improves access and response time for first responders and provides route choice opportunities in the event of emergencies that may restrict the flow of traffic on the adjacent arterial roadway network.”
The county also maintains roundabouts at Collier Boulevard/Heritage Bay Government Services Center, Logan Boulevard/Treeline Drive, Tree Farm Road east of Collier Boulevard and Triangle Boulevard/Celeste Drive.
Concepts such as walkability and traffic calming are now factored into future road expansion in Naples and nationwide. With less pollution and more efficiency for both residential and retail environments, roundabouts help make a beautiful day “in the neighborhood.”
Ian transformed commercial real estate
With each issue of The Naples Press that includes a real estate page, we will ask real estate professionals questions about issues of the day. For this edition, we spoke with advisers from KOVA Commercial Group.
Q: How has the commercial real estate market in Collier and Lee counties evolved since Hurricane Ian in September 2022?
A: Since Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida in late 2022, the commercial real estate landscape in Collier and Lee counties has experienced accelerated transformation, with a strong focus on redevelopment, resiliency and long-term growth.
“The storm created both challenges and opportunities,” said Bryan Flores, senior advisor at KOVA Commercial Group. “In many areas, especially along the coast, older or underutilized properties were either damaged or cleared – opening the door for
redevelopment. We’re seeing this along U.S. 41 with projects like the demolition of the old Beacon Bowl and Nordstrom, making way for luxury hospitality and retail spaces like The Carnelian and Restoration Hardware.”
Industrial real estate has also surged, with increased investor and developer interest across Lee County. “The demand for logistics and warehouse space continues to grow,” said Felipe Arcila, a senior advisor. “Amazon’s acquisition of 143 acres in Fort Myers for a planned 750,000-square-foot facility is a prime example of how national brands are investing here post-Ian.”
Retail and mixed-use projects are also gaining momentum.
“We’re seeing developers blend residential and commercial components in a way that meets the lifestyle shift of the region’s expanding population,” advisor Cody T. Shadley said. “A great example is M Development’s upcoming project with luxury condos and street-level retail in downtown Naples.”
Peter Warrick-Marsh
Recovery funding has played a critical role in these efforts. “Federal dollars, including more than $1.1 billion allocated to Lee County through CDBG-DR grants, have supported infrastructure, housing and business redevelopment,” added Peter Warrick-Marsh, advisor. “That funding is helping to reestablish economic vibrancy across both counties.” Overall, Collier and Lee counties have responded to adversity with strategic growth. As communities rebuild and expand, commercial opportunities – from industrial and office to hospitality and retail – are evolving to meet rising demand and a growing, resilient population.
To connect with a KOVA Commercial Group advisor, visit kovacg.com or call 239.261.2627.
The roundabout at Whippoorwill Drive and Marbella Lakes Drive is shown in an aerial view. Photo courtesy Collier County Government Tranportation Management Services Department
By M. Melanie Pefinis
Ongoing events
Everglades exhibition
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 21 at The Baker Museum, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. “Entangled in the Mangroves: Florida Everglades Through Installation” features the work of nine Florida-based artists who explore the critical importance of the Everglades through diverse media. $10, $5 students or fulltime military with ID, $1 for SNAP benefits visitors. artisnaples.org or 239.252.2611
Those historic little homes
9 a.m.-4 p.m. TuesdaysSaturdays through June 7 at the Marco Island Historical Museum, 180 S. Heathwood Drive, Marco Island. Marco Island Historical Society presents “The Florida House,” a trip back in time to 1960s Marco Island. See the homes the Mackle Brothers envisioned as the latest and greatest Florida architecture for Marco. Free. colliermuseums.com
‘Eternally Curious’
9 a.m.-5 p.m. through June
29 at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive, Naples. Tanya Trinkaus Glass displays her garden-centered artwork in an exhibition. The event is free for members and included with garden admission ($27 for non-members). naplesgarden.org or 239.643.7275
Cunningham & McCabe Exhibition
Various times through Aug. 3 at Naples Art Institute, 585 Park St., Naples. Photographs showcased from Imogen Cunningham and Robert McCabe that reflect nature and its beauty. $10 for members and $15 for non-members. naplesart.org or 239.262.6517
‘Miami to Marco’
Collaborative Exhibition of Latinx Artists
Various times through July 1 at Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island. In La Petite Gallery, art from Thomas C. Keller will be displayed through May 27 and art from Matt Fazio will be displayed through the month of June. There will be receptions at 5:30 p.m. May 13 and June 10. Free admission. marcoislandart.org
‘Prodigal Son’
Various times from May 16-June 1 at Joan Jenks Auditorium in the Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples. Written by John Patrick Shanley, who wrote the Pulitzer Prizewinning play, Doubt, Prodigal Son was born from his own experience as he tells a story of a young man on the verge of salvation or destruction. $35. thestudioplayers. org or 239.398.9192
This weekend (May 9-11)
Zachary plays Barber
7:30 p.m. May 9 at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. See Hot Ticket. artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900
Bouquets & Bubbly for Mom
Various times May 9-11 at Central Piazza in Mercato, 9110 Strada Place, Naples. Celebrate Mom by going to the Vintage Italian Piaggio Mobile Bar for complimentary prosecco, choosing a complimentary bouquet at
CALENDAR
LATIN AMERICAN EXHIBITION
Dottie Jean’s Flower truck, getting “permanent jewelry” from Summie Jewelry and listening to live music. Free admission. experiencemercato.com
Red, White and Blue Party
5 p.m. May 9 at Treviso at the Colony poolside, 23750 Via Trevi Way Suite 102, Estero. A barbeque buffet catered by Mission BBQ will be served. This benefits Gulfshore Opera Community Outreach Programs. There will be performances by emerging artists Aaron Santos and Ivan Demoraes, and The GO Harmony Choir youth performs “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” $125. gulfshoreopera.org
A Taste of La Vie En Rose
12-2 p.m. May 9 at The French Brasserie Rustique, 365 Fifth Ave. South, Naples. Opera Naples invites soprano Laura León to perform for a luncheon to benefit Opera Naples Education and Productions. $110. operanaples.org or 239.963.9050
Spring Community Day
12 p.m. May 10 at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. The community is invited to experience a day of hands-on activities with art, music and other special activities including an instrument petting zoo, face painting, bilingual storytelling, Mother’s Day-themed activity, performance by Masquerade Dance Company and museum exhibitions. Free admission. artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900
Musical Mother’s Day tribute
3-4 p.m. recital, 4-5 p.m. festivities May 10 at Beverly Hall, United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Road, Naples. “Dream Team” teacher-student advanced duets performance of music for violin, piano, guitar and voice. From 4-5 p.m., reception, mimosas, raffles for all women, arts and crafts for children with a professional art teacher. Reservations required at artsplanetnaples.org
“Champions Compose,” an acrylic by Garry Scott Wheeler, is one of the works that will go to Miami in an exchange of Latin American and Southwest Florida contemporary art. Photo courtesy Marco Island Center for the Arts
LATIN ART ON MARCO
Side-by-side concert
7 p.m. May 11 at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Youth orchestra and Naples Philharmonic musicians perform together. Naples Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Concerto will perform their prize-winning piece. $15-29. artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900
‘Famlet’
7 p.m. Fridays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through May 11 at the Arts Center Theatre, Marco Town Center, 1089 N. Collier Blvd., Suite 432, Marco Island. Cross Shakespeare’s gridlocked hero with a dysfunctional American family and you get something a whole lot funnier than the Bard ever dreamed. By local author Alex Costello. marcoislandart.org or 239.784.1186
Next week (May 12-15)
Decade of the ’60s: Trivia and Tunes
11 a.m.-noon May 13 at Naples
Regional Library, 650 Central Ave., Naples. Take a trip down memory lane with trivia challenges and live tunes from the iconic 1960s “counterculture” decade. Free event sponsored by the Friends of the Library. collierlibrary.org or 239.252.5135
Jazz Memorial Concert: Nuclear Jazz Sextet
2 p.m.-3 p.m. May 14 at Naples Regional Library, 650 Central Ave., Naples. Enjoy live jazz music and a heartfelt tribute to those who served to celebrate Memorial Day. Free event sponsored by the Friends of the Library. collierlibrary.org or 239.252.5135
All That Jazz: The Music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn
Various times May 14 at Artis— Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd.,
Mindfulness Hike
6-8 p.m. May 14 at CREW Marsh Trails, 4600 Corkscrew Road, Immokalee. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and CREW is honoring that by offering a mindfulness hike to unwind that will teach how to input mindfulness into daily routines. Closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, bug spray and water bottles are highly recommended. $5, space is limited and advance ticket purchase required. crewtrust.com
Journey Through the Americas
Various times and locations May 14-18 through Gulfshore Opera with the support of the Collier Community Foundation and Cape Coral Community Foundation. The concert features the dynamic GO Divas vocal ensemble joined by the GO harmony choir and youth and the Cuban jazz trio Latin Infusion performing American classics by Bob Dylan and James Taylor, as well as spirited renditions of Latin favorites such as “Guantanamera” and “Oye como va.” gulfshoreopera. org or 239.529.3925
Naples Ballet and Naples Philharmonic: ‘Sleeping Beauty’
Naples. The Naples Philharmonic Jazz Orchestra honors Ellington and Strayhorn’s more-than-30-year partnership by playing their biggest compositions. $60. artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900
HOT TICKET
9. a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays through June 30 at Marco Island Center for the Arts, 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island. Exchange exhibition of contemporary Latin American art. Zachary plays Barber 7:30 p.m. May 9 at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Concertmaster and violinist Zachary DePue plays Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto and Bartok’s Hungarian Sketches with the Naples Philharmonic to end the 2024-25 season. Tickets start at $29 and include admission into the Baker Museum from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900
7 p.m. Thursday, May 15, at Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. Experience the timeless fairytale brought to life by talented student dancers and professional soloists accompanied by the Naples Philharmonic performing Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score. Artistic Director Christophe Maraval choreographs and Manuel López-Gómez conducts. $25-58. artisnaples.org or 239.597.1900.
Violinist and concertmaster Zachary DePue plays the emotionally engaging, and extremely virtuosic, Violin Concerto by Samuel Barber for the closing Masterworks Series with the Naples Philharmonic. Photo courtesy Artis-Naples
THEATER
ALL THEIR WORLD’S A STAGE
Dramatic arts school to embed theater in education
By Harriet Howard Heithaus harriet.heithaus@naplespress.com
Raise the curtain: A performing arts school makes its debut at Sugden Community Theatre Sept. 2.
The Naples Players Academy of Dramatic Arts will offer high school diplomas through Florida Virtual School academics, blended with a half-day of grounding in all aspects of performance and production.
It is under the wing of The Naples Players, the city’s community theater of 72 years. Its campus will be in the expanded and improved Sugden Theatre, which now has three performance theaters and a total of 45,000 square feet.
TNP already has an education department that offers classes for children ages 2 to 17. The academy is different in that it will be a full day school, operating on a trimester calendar and aligned to the holiday schedule of Collier County Public Schools. There’s an open house for the Academy May 20 at Sugden Theatre.
Offering choices early
The academy is different from most other performing arts schools in the U.S. in that it is open to students from sixth through 12th grades rather than solely grades 9-12. In Florida, few performing arts schools offer that broad an age spectrum.
“I have felt this way in my entire career: Middle school kids don’t yet
know what they love and what they don’t love.
So the middle school curriculum is going to expose kids to everything from ballet to lighting and marketing and financial literacy and the business aspect behind what happens at The Naples Players,” said Steven Caruso, chief administrator for the Academy.
In the upper grades, students will be able — and will have experienced enough — to assemble a schedule with specialty classes in their interest, he added.
Caruso, former head of school at
I started thinking about the options of the schools in the area. I quickly realized that this wasn’t just something that would work — it was something that was necessary.”
—Steven Caruso, chief administrator, Naples Players Academy of Dramatic Arts
Seacrest Country Day School, has a background in school administration and academics. He served in both capacities at Palm Beach Day Academy for 20 years before coming to Seacrest in 2013. Caruso’s decision to join the Academy came from conversations with Bryce Alexander, CEO and executive artistic director for The Naples Players, who challenged him to analyze the concept.
“I started thinking about the options of the schools in the area. I quickly realized that this wasn’t just something that would work — it was something that was necessary. It really would fit a niche for the community,” he recalled.
Jennifer Price, Naples Players director of education, will become
the academy’s program director after serving as the director of drama for Gulf Coast High School, where her students have won more than 50 thespian awards. Both she and members of her family have been in a number of Naples Players productions.
Price said she came to The Naples Players staff with a learning center such as this in mind.
“In my first discussion with Bryce, I said I would like to open a school, that I wished there were a more specific magnet program around for the performing arts. And he had already also kind of had that thought, so … things just progressed really quickly.
“It’s just such an arts-rich community,” she said of Naples. “There are so many arts programs for after school for kids, but there is nothing focused on it during the school day. And I believe that that is just the one little piece missing for those students who want to go the extra mile.”
Blending experience, academics
Price will organize the academics in two segments:
• Its FLVS core platform, including daily in-person instruction support by onsite certified teachers, mentors and experienced faculty to guide academic planning.
• All aspects of theater: dance, music, production, scenic design, costuming, financial operations, accessibility and
“Middle schoolers will explore everything — from ballet to lighting to financial literacy.” — Steven Caruso.
Photo courtesy Naples Players
From ballet to backstage: Students will explore
Steven Caruso
Jennifer Price
ON THE PAGE
INTRODUCING CHILDREN TO MAGIC OF WORDS
“Happy Ice Cream, Happy Cake, Happy Cookie, Happy Shake” are fun rhyming words that hit the mark with the younger set from author Kristen Griffin’s April 2025 second-book release, Happy Words. The book features easy reading/rhyme patterns that she contends will help beginner readers cultivate a love of books and serve as an entrée into early reading skills. Armed with an elementary education degree from Florida Gulf Coast University, Griffin’s love for children and education extends to her creative works. Her mission is “to make the world a happier place for kids,” and through her outreach to a global nonprofit organization, she does just that by donating hundreds of books to kids more than halfway around the world.
In addition to her first book, Happy Clouds, Griffin also created two coloring books and a Happy Happy pen made with plushy, whimsical faces and googly eyes. At the start of this school year, Books for Collier Kids and Christ Child Society purchased 5,400 books for Collier County Pre-K children, and expect to repeat the purchase for the next school year.
We caught up with Griffin to find out more and reached out to two other children’s book authors with local ties, Susan Sachs Levine and Margaret Cardillo, about their works. They all share the passion to teach children reading readiness.
The Naples Press: Why is Happy Words attractive to youngsters, and how does it benefit them educationally?
Kristen Griffin: The book helps beginning readers — toddlers and preschoolers — identify objects in a fun, cheerful way. They will meet 72 happy people, animals and objects, each illustrated with smiles and googly eyes. They will use the rhyme pattern with the illustration to predict the next word, another step in becoming a good reader — anticipating what could come next and using their phonics knowledge or an illustration to check if they have made a good prediction. Kids will “pretend to read” as they turn the pages, which builds confidence in their reading ability, helping them transition from pretend reading to actual reading. It’s a fun door through which a child can enter and take their first steps into reading independently.
TNP: Tell us about your first book, Happy Clouds.
KG: Happy Clouds is a collection of 12 positive affirmations. Early readers will encounter statements such as “I am loved,” “I am kind,” “I am beautiful” and “I am smart.” I love positivity. I feel like a big kid at heart, so I love, crave and live it every day. I want to teach little children, and I want them to have the tools to start with as much positivity as possible and as young as possible. I want to teach children everywhere to look at the world with a smile.
TNP: When did your writing journey begin?
KG: In 2016, I founded Happy Happy Everything, Inc. to inspire children, make them smile and spread joy worldwide. I started by making pens, wands, tiaras and hair clips. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of becom ing a Disney animator and writing a children’s book. It took me 17 years of thinking about it, but it finally hap pened in 2023 with the release of Happy Clouds, a colorful book that teaches positive affirmations. My inspiration for writing comes from my love for children and my desire to spread positivity in the world.
TNP: You have two albums of chil dren’s music. What is your musical background?
their first steps into reading independently.”
—Kristen Griffin, children’s book author
KG: My musical background is that I love music. During my life, I have written jingles for special occasions and poetry, which comes naturally. I composed two children’s music albums of tunes in which children can interact. I’ve also developed an animated YouTube channel with my children’s songs, which are downloadable for purchase on YouTube and major streaming platforms like Amazon, Spotify and Pandora.
Susan Sachs Levine
Susan Sachs Levine grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and started her career in marketing. She is a wildlife enthusiast and has traveled extensively to learn about the natural world, especially endangered species. The author now lives in Naples and is a Florida Master Naturalist.
“My most recent books are about the common wading birds and shorebirds found throughout Southwest Florida,” Levine said. Jenny’s First Catch: An Adventure with Nature’s Wading Birds (2020) follows a young roseate spoonbill as she tries to learn how to fish with her unique bill. In Gilbert’s Migration Vacation: The Story of an Original Snowbird (2023), children learn about sanderlings, as well as other shorebirds, and the extraordinary migrations they make between their breeding and wintering grounds.”
In her titles, published by Mascot Books, the author blends her interest in wildlife with her imaginative storytelling to entertain and teach young children. “They are written in a hybrid style for which I am known — an engaging fictional story supplemented by fact boxes. Both are fast-paced and full of interesting information,” Levine said. “A glossary of terms, profiles of additional wading and shore birds and a list of laws that protect these birds are included.”
Find her books at gift shops in the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Rookery Bay, the Marco Historical
Society, Marco Florist & Gifts, The Paper Merchant and at the Florida National Parks.
Margaret Cardillo
A Naples native, Margaret Cardillo worked as a children’s book editor in New York, then relocated to South Florida, where she obtained a fellowship in creative writing in the Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Miami. After achieving a second MFA in screenwriting, she was hired as a professor.
“I also continue to write children’s books and now write, direct and produce films out of Miami,” she said. “My books are a fun and educational way to learn to read, and especially good for home-schooled children.”
She’s the author of the award-winning picture book biographies Just Being Audrey and Just Being Jackie, her first two nonfiction books about strong women who overcame adversity and became cultural symbols, published by Harper Collins.
Just Being Audrey (ages 6-8) relays the story of Audrey Hepburn, who became one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood after surviving World War II and later dedicated her life to UNICEF. Her timeless fashion and enduring legacy in the world of philanthropy remain.
Just Being Jackie (ages 4-6, preschool to grade three) offers insights into the style and talents of First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis. “Onassis knew that intelligence was the best look for a young woman and never went anywhere without a good book,” Cardillo said. “She became the symbol of our nation and taught the country how to get through one of its darkest hours.”
Cardillo’s most popular title, Dogs at Work: Good Dogs. Real Jobs (ages 4-8, pre-school to grade three), is an educational picture book about the jobs dogs can do — from being a therapy dog to a lobster-diving dog to a best friend. Cardillo’s books are available in local bookstores including Barnes and Noble and online at Amazon.
By Jean L. Amodea
SPORTS
FC NAPLES MAKING LEAGUE TAKE NOTICE
The odds are strong that the best player in USL League One was putting gas in his car at the pump across from you earlier this week, and you didn’t even notice.
The odds are strong that the most dominant defender in USL League One was considering oranges vs. tangerines at the grocery store beside you today, and you didn’t even notice.
The odds are strong that the best coach in USL League One was sitting two tables down from you at dinner the other night, and you didn’t even notice.
And whether you’ve noticed yet or not, the best team in USL League One this season lives right here in Collier County.
FC Naples has been nothing short of a tremendous success story this spring, currently sitting atop the league standings and drawing thousands per match to Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
If anyone last year at this time thought that professional soccer in Collier County was a fool’s errand, they need to look no further than to Karsen Henderlong, Jake Dengler and Matt Poland as proof of concept.
Make no mistake, putting a professional soccer team here in Collier County was a bit of a gamble. The FC Naples ownership team, headed by CEO Roberto Moreno, certainly saw the vision — but it took a smidge of convincing the county’s brass to get on board.
As it turned out, a couple of vital pieces of the puzzle were here just waiting to be fitted. Paradise Coast Sports Complex, which the county dug out of the dirt partially to attract tournaments year-round and also partially to serve local citizens, featured a 3,500-seat stadium seemingly purpose-built for a soccer team.
The second piece was casting around Marco Island when he wasn’t wandering the soccer landscape looking for a soccer home.
Matt Poland has made Marco Island his home during the past 13 soccer
Speaking of Sports
David Wasson
off-seasons and couldn’t help but notice that more and more soccer fields were not only sprouting up but also staying packed around the county, with kids immersed in the sport he grew up playing and was currently coaching.
Which is why Poland cold-introduced himself to Moreno at one of FC Naples’ first community events, before the organization was even officially named FC Naples. That confidence — imbued by an innate understanding that soccer was ready to bloom here — helped launch Poland above 300 other applicants for the job.
Glitzy introductions for the team itself and then for Poland were the easy parts of the growth. The next part, of course, was way tougher: building a team out of thin air to live up to the hype machine that Moreno and Co. were throwing behind FC Naples.
One of the first players Poland thought of was Dengler, a 6-foot-5 unit of a human who Poland remembered torturing his Chicago House
A.C. club’s offense. If FC Naples was going to win games, they needed to play relentless defense — and Dengler was just the kind of relentless player who had a knack for putting his body right where the opposition was going.
But FC Naples was going to need to score, too, and Henderlong quickly became the kind of acquisition that would define FC Naples’ inaugural season. Poland says that his forward “runs angry” with a fury that instantly puts defenses on their heels, and that Henderlong also has a knack for finding the goal that cannot be taught but is instead a gift given at birth.
Armed with a frisky defender who doesn’t mind sticking his nose in the
action and a forward that can seemingly slow the game down when the ball is at his feet, Poland assembled the rest of the FC Naples squad piece by piece to strangle opponents with defense while simultaneously leaning on those same opponents on the offensive end until they crack.
And crack they have. FC Naples started with a USL League One record-tying 8-match undefeated streak. FC Naples ground down an established USL Championship
outfit, the Tampa Bay Rowdies, to the nub before succumbing via penalty kicks, then outclassed the defending USL Championship side Charleston Battery in the in-season Jagermeister Cup. Poland earned Coach of the Month honors in his first month in USL League One, and Henderlong also earned Player of the Month during the hot start.
Atop the standings, and riding a team assembled with talent that has gelled far more quickly than a
contending squad has a right to, Poland is certainly pushing all the right buttons for FC Naples. You may not be able to pick them out on the street, in the mall or the grocery store, but FC Naples is quickly etching greatness on the tableau of Collier County.
Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson airs weekdays from 3-5 p.m. on Southwest Florida’s Fox Sports Radio (105.9 FM in Collier County) and streaming on FoxSportsFM.com.
A confident Karsen Henderlong flexes for FC Naples fans April 26 at Paradise Coast Sports Complex. Henderlong scored as FC Naples upended the Charleston Battery 1-0. Photo courtesy FC Naples.
