http://naplesnews.com/news/growth/naplesnews.com Stories: Growth & Developmenten-usgrowthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/24/state-starting-over-potential-leasing-alligator-al/This is more than a momentary delay. When state transportation officials canceled a meeting last week to review documents submitted by firms interested in leasing Alligator Alley, it seemed that perhaps the process would be postponed by a week or two. Florida Department of Transportation staffers now say the state will start the process over for amassing interest in Alligator Alley, issuing a new request for qualifications, the first step in the process to lease the 78-mile toll road to a private interest. Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:57:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/24/state-starting-over-potential-leasing-alligator-al/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/16/residents-wci-odds-over-small-strip-coconut-road-l/If WCI pushes Lee County commissioners to vacate the western end of Coconut Road, the developer will find stiff opposition. From its own residents. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:44:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/16/residents-wci-odds-over-small-strip-coconut-road-l/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/08/ave-maria-lacking-growth-may-affect-projects/Development in Ave Maria is falling well short of projections, and the lack of growth could affect major efforts associated with the new town in eastern Collier County. The project immediately affected is the $100 million widening of Oil Well Road — the town’s primary access point — as county officials now are wondering where they’ll find the money for construction and are considering ways to narrow the project’s scope. Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:50:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/08/ave-maria-lacking-growth-may-affect-projects/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/05/eight-companies-bidding-lease-alligator-alley/Eight bidders will compete for the right to control Alligator Alley for the next 50 to 75 years. They submitted Statements of Qualification by Tuesday’s deadline, and a Florida Department of Transportation schedule calls for the list to be pared down by June 30. At that time, the firms will be asked to submit proposals for a lease of the 78-mile alley, which runs from Naples to Weston. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:01:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/05/eight-companies-bidding-lease-alligator-alley/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/01/bonita-mayor-thinking-small-downtown-redevelopment/Bonita Springs lost the battle for the big fish, and now the city hopes the little ones have not gotten away. In Bonita government’s efforts to revitalize the downtown corridor, the city was relying on big time developers like Antaramian Development Group of Naples to bring the plans to fruition. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:13:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/01/bonita-mayor-thinking-small-downtown-redevelopment/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/27/anger-overflows-meeting-discuss-privatization-alli/Rarely do local politicians and the voting public have a chance to agree — passionately and universally — on an issue. But on Tuesday night, Collier County residents and legislators had a chance to gather as one very angry chorus to tell the Florida Department of Transportation “No.” “We are united on this issue,” said County Commission Chairman Tom Henning. “We are opposed to leasing Alligator Alley.” Wed, 28 May 2008 02:31:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/27/anger-overflows-meeting-discuss-privatization-alli/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/20/proposed-alligator-alley-lease-be-discussed-closer/If anyone wants to address the possible lease of the Alligator Alley stretch of I-75 to a private entity, next week is a good time to do it. Many in the Naples area were outraged when the first public meeting on the matter convened in Orlando, hundreds of miles from Alligator Alley, in an “industry forum” for the Florida Department of Transportation to court possible investors. Tue, 20 May 2008 23:58:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/20/proposed-alligator-alley-lease-be-discussed-closer/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/18/ave-maria-developer-seeks-ease-income-requirements/Ave Maria’s developer is looking for some relief from Southwest Florida’s less than heavenly real estate market. Citing a new state law, the town is asking to change income requirements for those who wish to live in Ave Maria’s affordable housing sections. Sun, 18 May 2008 23:41:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/18/ave-maria-developer-seeks-ease-income-requirements/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/18/agricultural-research-center-getting-new-look-help/The agriculture research center near Immokalee is spiffing up. New buildings are sprouting out of the ground. Older buildings are coming down, or getting a new look. The improvements at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center off State Road 29 are getting done with state money awarded to the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension in 2006. Sun, 18 May 2008 21:12:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/18/agricultural-research-center-getting-new-look-help/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/10/new-construction-permits-holding-steady-though-dow/New development in Collier and Lee counties has flattened out after a long decline, but officials remain hesitant to say the market for new construction is on the way up. Both Collier and Lee, like other coastal counties on Florida’s west coast, have reported a fair amount of “bouncing around” with new construction, making it anyone’s guess where the market will go from here. Lee County government issued the same number of permits for single-family homes in April as it issued in March -- 47. Single-family home permits issued last month in Collier were at 56, more than half the levels seen in April 2007. Sat, 10 May 2008 21:03:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/10/new-construction-permits-holding-steady-though-dow/businesshttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/05/bonefish-grill-opening-today-naples-bay-resort/Bonefish Grill is opening at 4 this afternoon in the Naples Bay Resort, 1500 Fifth Ave. S. Mon, 05 May 2008 19:09:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/05/bonefish-grill-opening-today-naples-bay-resort/entertainment/restaurantshttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/04/24m-home-renovation-project-under-way-immokalee/More than 300 Timber Ridge and Sanders Pines residents in Immokalee are getting their homes renovated. Among a slate of improvements, Professional Building Systems subcontractors are installing new kitchen and bathroom cabinets and doors at the 40-unit Sanders Pines apartment complex, near Eden and Carson roads. Mon, 05 May 2008 01:50:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/04/24m-home-renovation-project-under-way-immokalee/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/03/collier-essential-service-worker-project-gets-stat/A Southwest Florida project has won a $5 million state grant to create affordable housing for essential employees in Collier County. The project, called Fountain Lakes, will offer 296 multifamily units on 23 acres off Collier Boulevard. It’s targeted at “essential services personnel,” such as nurses, firefighters and teachers, whose household income is between $49,000 and $89,000. Sat, 03 May 2008 20:41:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/may/03/collier-essential-service-worker-project-gets-stat/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/27/downtown-bonita-rebirth-hinges-market-recovery/When Bonita Springs developed its downtown revitalization project, the plan relied on bringing new residents to the Old 41 Road corridor. That component made sense — it was part of the Naples and Fort Myers revitalization projects, too — because downtown residents brought activity 24 hours, seven days a week to the area instead of just having a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. crowd come for new businesses and attractions. Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:13:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/27/downtown-bonita-rebirth-hinges-market-recovery/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/27/merrill-lynch-will-move-expanded-offices-mercato/The Merrill Lynch financial management and advisory firm will occupy office space in The Mercato development in North Naples, The Lutgert Companies announced. Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:12:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/27/merrill-lynch-will-move-expanded-offices-mercato/businesshttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/23/village-venetian-bay-receive-4m-makeover/Fashions change, but some basics never go out of style. The Village on Venetian Bay shopping area, a collection of shops and restaurants in Naples, will receive a $4 million remake but its Mediterranean-style architecture is here to stay. Work will begin in June and is slated to be completed in the fall, but the center will be open regular hours throughout the renovations. The Village’s 50 fashion boutiques and shops and five restaurants are perched over the waters of Venetian Bay, and shoppers walk between shops in open air hallways with fountains, awnings and seating. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:18:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/23/village-venetian-bay-receive-4m-makeover/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/22/collier-settles-240-million-claim-involving-bald-e/Collier County has settled a $240 million property rights claim a North Naples landowner filed in May 2006 after county commissioners refused to loosen bald eagle protection rules at a high-rise condominium site. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:16:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/22/collier-settles-240-million-claim-involving-bald-e/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/20/cultural-arts-district-hopes-attract-businesses/Cultural Arts District designation in the works? Check. Excited residents? Check. Businesses clamoring to be part of Bayshore in East Naples? Still working on it. But one thing is for sure— local businesses are getting excited. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:17:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/20/cultural-arts-district-hopes-attract-businesses/growthhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/19/lawmakers-may-cut-change-affordable-housing-progra/Housing advocates are bracing themselves for a trust fund raid at a time they say affordable housing is needed more then ever as low- and moderate-income residents deal with a lingering economic slowdown. Florida lawmakers are wrangling over how to fill gaps in the state $65.5 billion budget. So they have their eye on a $333 million pot of money sitting in a trust fund that is supposed to provide housing support for the state’s neediest residents. Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:31:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/19/lawmakers-may-cut-change-affordable-housing-progra/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/18/hopes-dreams-imperial-landing-project-dashed-away/Six years worth of work — and hopes and dreams — went down the tubes when Bonita Springs’ plans for downtown revitalization blew up in its face on Friday. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 23:15:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/apr/18/hopes-dreams-imperial-landing-project-dashed-away/growth