The Pointe at Founders Square will have as many as eight restaurants on the southeastern corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard. TIM ATEN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY
Q: What’s the update on Collier Boulevard and Immokalee Road that we thought would be shops and restaurants?
— Lori Ricci, North Naples
A: Simultaneous construction on four different building projects progresses daily at Founders Square, the mixed-use development emerging at the former Pelican Nursery property on the southeastern corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard.
The joint effort by Barron Collier Companies, Trinity Commercial Group and Metro Commercial has quickly taken shape on more than 55 acres. A 400- unit apartment community, a two-story medical office building and a three-story self-storage center are all under construction together with the development’s conversation piece: The Pointe at Founders Square, a 12-unit retail center that will be dominated by at least eight restaurants.
Since the last major update on Founders Square in December, a few more tenants and some more details are known about The Pointe and the development, in general.
Founders Square dominates the southeastern corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard. Taking shape now are The Pointe, foreground, a Physicians Regional Healthcare System medical center, right, and a self-storage facility and 400-unit apartment complex, center. COURTESY / BARRON COLLIER COMPANIES
Two national chains and another local restaurant have signed on for units at The Pointe. At more than 5,600 square feet, the third Collier County location of Outback Steakhouse will occupy one of the largest units in the 39,000-square-foot retail hub with high visibility on that hard corner.
Another location of the homegrown Slicers Hoagies is taking a 1,365-square-foot unit in The Pointe. South Florida native Billy Francis launched his first local sandwich shop in 2017 at Marquesa Plaza in Naples and his second two years ago in the University Village Shops in Estero.
Southwest Florida will be introduced to I Heart Mac & Cheese and More when it opens later this year at The Pointe. It’s the only restaurant coming to The Pointe that’s not already represented elsewhere in the county.
The fast-casual restaurant concept specializes in customizable, made-to-order macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. In addition to classic mac ‘n cheese, the eatery includes extraordinary spin-offs such as cheeseburger mac, buffalo chicken, chicken Parmesan, meatball Parmesan, pepperoni pizza, Philly cheesesteak and the Cuban. Diners are invited to build their own with choices such as bacon, broccoli, jalapeños, lobster, marinara, pesto and short rib atop bases of pasta, broccoli, cauliflower, quinoa, tater tots or gluten-free pasta.
Based in Boca Raton, I Heart Mac & Cheese is a growing chain with four locations in Florida and 10 other restaurants between Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, New York and Texas. The local franchisee is Alfonso Olivos, a Naples native who has a full-time job in the banking and finance field.
“I believe in the concept and I love the location,” Mr. Olivos said. His 1,355-square-foot unit will include 440 square feet of outdoor seating.
As earlier announced, other restaurants coming to The Pointe this year include Fuji Sushi Bar & Asian Bistro, Skillets, South Street Grill, and Tacos & Tequila Cantina. Although previously announced as coming, a third location of Palumbo’s Pizzeria will not be opening at The Pointe.
The Pearl Founders Square Apartments will have 400 units on the southeastern corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard.
Retailers planning locations there include Collier Urgent Care, Luxury Nails & Spa and Salon Bellezza.
“We have three units that haven’t been spoken for,” said David Genson, president of development at Barron Collier Companies.
Heatherwood Construction is expected to complete the shells at The Pointe early in July, which will give tenants enough time to build out the units for late-fall openings, Mr. Genson said. “Primarily, most people will be ready fourth quarter some time,” he said.
On more than 5 acres of vacant commercial land directly behind The Pointe, a separate retail shopping center is planned. More than 48,500 square feet of retail space is proposed for The Plaza at Founders Square, according to county pre-application development records from May. Specific stores or types of businesses for the plaza are not available yet.
Life Storage, right, and The Pearl apartments are under construction near the Immokalee Road entrance to Founders Square mixed-use development.
Fronting Immokalee Road just east of The Pointe, two of Founders Square’s seven outparcel lots have buyers so far. First Florida Integrity Bank plans a 3,300-square-foot bank building with drive-thru lanes on 1 acre, while 7-Eleven plans a 4,770-square-foot convenience store, a gas station with eight fueling stations and a freestanding car wash on 1.8 acres. Of the five remaining outparcels, expect businesses such as automotive services, banks and fast-food restaurants, Mr. Genson said.
The 400-unit residential portion of Founders Square that borders the southern and eastern edges of the property has been renamed The Pearl Founders Square Apartments by Georgia-based Davis Development, the developer and manager of the proposed upscale one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with a resort-style pool and amenities. Originally intended to honor Naples founder Walter Haldeman, The Haldeman Luxury Apartments was the name previously announced for the complex, which occupies nearly half of Founders Square. The certificate of occupancy for the first apartment building is expected in October, Mr. Genson said.
Fronting Collier Boulevard, or 951, at the signalized entrance into Founders Square, Naples-based Physicians Regional Healthcare System is leasing a nearly 35,000-square-foot medical office building. In the middle of Founders Square, Life Storage will open a climate-controlled, 110,000-square-foot self-storage facility this summer that includes wine storage with separate security access, wine-specific temperature and humidity controls, and an independent, backup generator system. ¦