What's rising by Whole Foods? What's Macy's bringing to Lee? Where's Naples dealer going? (2024)

Heard the other day from reader Paul Tormey. No relation, by the way, to the late great scat singer Mel Torme, who's a favorite of Southwest Florida's Stardust Memories Big Band that plays at the Fort Myers Tribby Arts Center next month after wrapping up its winter outdoor season.

"I especially enjoy your column," said Mr. Tormey, overcoming my digression without skipping a Be-bop-be, Ship-be-dee-do-dah beat. "Can you tell me what is being built next to KeKe's and behind Mellow Mushroom on the corner of Daniels Parkway and Six Mile Cypress?"

Great question, Mr. Tormey, and thank you for the kind words. You've got some "Fascinating Rhythm" happening.

Here's what to know on that and other groovy Southwest Florida activity making the scene.

How large is expansion at Whole Foods-anchored Daniels Marketplace?

What you're looking at is the 24,616-square-foot second phase of the Daniels Marketplace, home to anchor Whole Foods since 2018, that should be ready by winter, although owners are pushing hard for an autumn finish line, ahead of our snowbird friends.

Targeted retailers for that spot adjacent to Six Mile and Kekes Breakfast Cafe include Macy's Bluemercury skin care in its first Lee County location, and only its second in Southwest Florida to go with Fifth Avenue South in Naples.

What new stores are coming to Daniels Marketplace in Fort Myers?

Another rarity in the region that's coming is Lovesac furniture, the masters of modulars and bean bags that's already in Estero's Coconut Point and preparing to launch before summer hits near the Whole Foods in Naples Mercato, where it's hiring for a showroom manager and other jobs as we speak. That top position pays $26 to $32 hourly.

With its closest being on the other side of Alligator Alley, VIO Med Spa will make its debut on this coast offering body contouring, skin rejuvenation, facials, injectables, fillers and similar services. Also part of the Marketplace party, with more to come, are Fidelity Investments and a pair of clothing outlets obsessed with the 10th letter of the alphabet, J.Jill and J. McLaughlin.

“Our vision to embrace the space between the buildings with the introduction of green space and event activations, combined with diversifying the merchandising mix and adding financial services, will be realized with this development," said Tom Wilder, principal at Boston's Wilder company with more than 40 properties, nearly all in the Northeast, and the current 106,729 square feet being its only south of Maryland.

The Marketplace drew more than 1.4 million visits last year, part of the 68,000 daily motorists who converge at Six Mile and Daniels, Wilder said.

How many live around the expanding Fort Myers Daniels Marketplace?

What Collier high school will have Publix subs arriving next door?

The Marketplace expansion builder is Central Florida-based J. Raymond Construction Corp., which also has a new contract for the first Publix on Oil Well Road in Naples that we first told you about more than two years ago and have updated along the way.

Adjacent to Palmetto Ridge High School's 2,000 students, those Publix subs at what will be the Shoppes of Orange Blossom will probably give the lunchroom a run for its money, depending on the size of the allowances and how long the deli line stretches. The goal has been for a 2025 debut, but we'll see how all that plays out.

Le Nails & Spa already has lined up leased space in the center, according to LQ Commercial.

What Naples dealer is opening automaker's largest prototype in U.S.?

We first reported a couple of years ago on a Genesis dealer's acquisition of Naples land on Pine Ridge Road at the I-75 exit that's about to be transformed.

Genesis of Naples now has a timeline for when it will be rolling at the 10.5 acres its LLC purchased for more than $11 million.

When will construction begin on Genesis dealership in Naples, Florida?

Construction is slated to begin in July for what owner Tim Zellers describes as one of the top five volume Genesis franchises in the continental United States, prompting the expansion.

“This two-story building embodies the largest Genesis prototype in the country," Zellers said of the 30,000 square feet targeted for late 2025 completion. “With this additional space, we will be able to take better care of our existing customers as well as those new to the Genesis brand."

Part of Hyundai Motor Group, Genesis was introduced in 2008. The new showroom will allow the Hyundai dealership owned by Zellers to expand at 6780 Airport-Pulling Road after Genesis vacates. In addition to the ownership of Tamiami Ford, the three dealerships employ nearly 300 in Collier County with annual new and preowned sales of more than 5,000 vehicles.

How did Tiger Woods accidentally boost sales of national carmaker?

In one of the oddities in today's America, Genesis sales took off after celebrity golfer Tiger Woods' mysterious 87 mph freeway experience off a California cliff in his GV80. In the month after the 2021 incident, that model, by far, outsoldother vehiclesat a faster rate in Southwest Florida. In an unrelated 2023 study by iSeeCars research, the Genesis G80 had a 50% rise in used car price in Collier and Lee counties year over year, the highest.

The local Genesis site enterprise comes more than two decades after powerhouse CRE Consultants Partner and architect Fred Kermani began working that northwest corner spot and adjacent property in 2002 as a broker and top dog for highest volume commercial properties and land sales in the Southwest Florida MLS.

"This was a long journey," Kermani told In the Know. "It took me 20 years of marketing, dealing with 27 offers and multiple contracts and amendments."

In the Know: Best deal? Naples Great Wolf Lodge room or day pass? Also, did home sales drop?

What project will transform busy Pine Ridge Road in Naples, Florida?

As my colleague Laura Layden reported last week, that hot intersection is about to get a lot more activity.

State transportation crews plan to begin work next year on a $23 million diverging diamond interchange, Collier County's first, and similar to what's happening at the Colonial Boulevard interstate junction in Fort Myers and future exit endeavors for Bayshore Road and Daniels Road, three miles east of the Marketplace we just mentioned.

The idea is to reduce choke points and left turns that we all know about in our congested world to improve traffic flow and safety.

Tourism: Fort Myers Beach's Lani Kai hotel: When will it open? What about its rooftop restaurants?

What's the schedule to allow input on Pine Ridge diamond interchange?

• A May 14 online session from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to include a question-and-answer with the project team. A link to register is at the swflroads.com/project/445296-1 site.
• A May 16 in-person gathering from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at North Collier Regional Park's Exhibit Hall, 15000 Livingston Road, that will feature project displays for review.

What's the status of Moss Marina hotels project, Fort Myers Beach?

After recommendations against it by the Town of Fort Myers Beach staff and committee members, the revived Moss Marina expansion project is scheduled to receive preliminary review by the Town Council as it considers various land use amendments and proposals this morning including height.

The 4.5 acre plan calls for three bayfront hotels plus restaurants, bars and other amenities. But, as we've reported, it has struggled to get traction with the council and planning board, which after hearing from many residents in the Hurricane Ian aftermath, signaled last year that they didn't plan to deviate too far from the current comprehensive plan that's been in place for nearly three decades.

How is Biden grant helping pay for Lee County housing?

As my colleague Stacey Henson reported, demolition began last week in the 37-acre 199-unit Southward Village neighborhood of the Fort Myers Dunbar community to make way for affordable housing units.

Combined with other ongoing efforts on Cleveland Avenue across from the Fort Myers Country Club golf course, at least 465 new units are planned by the Fort Myers Housing Authority. Construction at Southward off Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is slated to start in early 2025.

Redevelop: Dunbar's Southward Village getting torn down to make way for new community.

“This marks the start of transformational change for the greater Dunbar community,” said Marcia Davis, housing authority executive director of a partnership with national affordable housing developer, McCormack Baron Salazar. “The demolition of Southward Village is a major milestone (and) will pave the way for our efforts to bring improved housing and amenities to our residents.”

Suffolk Construction is the contractor for the project that's funded in part by a $30 million Biden administration grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That's on top of the at least $1.1 billion the president authorized for Lee County to accelerate its recovery from 2022's Hurricane Ian.

Based at the Naples Daily News,Columnist Phil Fernandez(pfernandez@gannett.com) grew up in Southwest Florida and has ledPulitzer Prize-winning efforts. He writes In the Know, one of USA TODAY Network's most read local news columns in the state. Support democracy.Subscribe to a newspaper.