'Failed' East Naples shopping center could spring back to life with proposed apartment complex

The Courthouse Shadows Shopping Center may spring back to life after sitting mostly vacant for years.

Described by some as a "blight" and an "eyesore," the defunct center that sits on U.S. 41 across from the Collier County Government Center could see redevelopment in the form of a four-story apartment complex with 300 units. The units would be a mix of market-rate one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments with a minimum size of 700 square feet per apartment. 

The planned complex would be gated with five buildings within the Courthouse Shadows property. The complex would also include an incorporated clubhouse attached to one of the residential buildings. 

The Collier County Planning Commission voted Sept. 19 to recommend the Board of County Commissioners approve the proposal in a later hearing. 

Wayne Arnold, a certified planner with Q Grady Minor & Associates, who represented the proposal application at the Planning Commission hearing, told the commission that the complex will feature a "coastal look," which he said "seems to be the norm we are headed toward.”

The Board of County Commissioners will hear the proposal Nov. 12, according to Grady Minor's website. 

The land that houses the defunct shopping center is owned by Kite Realty. Johnson Development Associates Inc., which will develop the new complex if approved, is under contract to buy a little over 18 acres, that includes the main shopping center structures, from Kite. 

"At this time, we will not be commenting on the development," Bryan McCarthy, who leads Kite's marketing team, told the Naples Daily News. 

Johnson Development Associates did not respond to multiple requests for comment. 

The only businesses that remain in Courthouse Shadows are a Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, the sit-down Crooked Shillelagh: Celtic Kitchen + Drinkery, a Chevron gas station and a location of E-Z General & Roofing Contractors. All, except for E-Z, will continue to function if the apartment complex is approved. 

E-Z, which has been at that location for two years, was recently told by Kite Realty that it must soon vacate the property in favor of the development. 

E-Z President Ney Dias stated his disappointment in having to move but noted his belief that the complex will be a positive addition to East Naples.

"I think for the city it will be a great thing," he said. "Look at the value of this property. Look at the size of this property. It's been vacant for years. I think for the community, whatever comes here will be a positive thing."

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With the continued growth of the area, the need for more apartments is inevitable, Dias said. 

"The whole area is growing a lot," he said. "I see a lot of new business. I'm assuming with the growth of business, you need housing."

He also mentioned that the center's state of sitting empty has led to instances of vandalism and homeless individuals living on the roof of the main storefront property.

Officials: Shopping center became 'blight on the community' after vacancies

The shopping center was previously anchored by a Publix that permanently closed in 2014 in favor of a new location of the chain grocery store opening just two miles away on Davis Boulevard. 

After that vacancy, several offerings in the center have come and gone, such as a Buffalo Wild Wings and a Burger King.

The stand-alone outparcel building in which Crooked Shillelagh is housed has changed hands multiple times since the Publix left. Chrissy’s Tavern & Bistro ended an eight-year run in the building in 2016 and was replaced by the Gavel Grill in 2017, which was eventually replaced by Crooked Shillelagh.

In the hearing held on the 19th, Arnold spoke of the Sam's Club redevelopment project that was proposed for the center but later abandoned in 2016. If Sam's Club had chosen to go through with the project, the store would have taken the place of the former Publix in being an anchor location for the shopping center's businesses. 

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According to Arnold, "Walmart put on hold every one of their Sam's Club applications ... If it wasn't under construction, they stopped. That left Kite with still a largely vacant shopping center and a need to deal with this as part of their portfolio."

He said that Johnson Development seemed like a good fit for all parties to offer a solution to the problem. 

"(Johnson Development representatives) like the Naples market very much, and they think this is a great fit for them to build 300 apartments on this location," Arnold said.

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Joseph Schmitt, one of the planning commissioners, said at the hearing that he's "looking for anything to get this site redeveloped."

“It’s a failed shopping center … I look at it as a blight on the community right now," he said. 

Commissioner Karl Fry echoed his comments in the hearing, saying, “It is a blight, and it’s on a major thoroughfare."

Commissioner Edwin Fryer also referred to the center's current state as an "eyesore." 

Complex could help in sustaining businesses around Courthouse Shadows

East Naples Civic Association President Jacob Winge said projects like the proposed Courthouse Shadows complex are "right in the middle" of the organization's mission.

The apartment complex could not only help to sustain the few businesses remaining in Courthouse Shadows but also lead to new commercial opportunities, he said. 

"When you have empty commercial space, it doesn't add anything to the community," he said. "Hopefully, a good addition to housing will help restaurants open up and good, positive commercial development that brings up the area ... Hopefully it will not only help the commercial that is already there but the commercial that will follow." 

He also noted that much of recent development in East Naples has been the building of storage units and gas stations, making the new housing proposal appealing for the area. 

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James Sabo, a Collier County principal planner, agreed the new complex could help to prop up businesses in a center where many have closed up shop. 

“With 300+ residents right next to the restaurants, they are likely to get increased business,” he said. 

The idea that the complex could help businesses stay afloat couldn't be more alluring for Crooked Shillelagh co-owner Ben Heatherington, who has been in business in Courthouse Shadows since March 2019. 

"I think its a great opportunity not only for us, because we are one of the remaining anchor buildings (in Courthouse Shadows), but for East Naples and this area," he said. "Courthouse Shadows since losing the Sam's Club deal has been an eyesore for this area for a couple years now." 

He said the complex is indicative of overall development changes coming to East Naples. 

"The writing is on the wall," he said. "You can see the changes for East Naples are coming."

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When Heatherington first came to look at the property in November 2018, the Courthouse Shadows Starbucks had recently opened. This gave him hope that the shopping center and the surrounding area would soon yield great economic growth.

“As big of a corporation as they are that spend that much on research, they knew something was going to be changing in here ... They do their due diligence on finding the up-and-coming spots."

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According to a 2019 Collier County Growth Management staff report, the Courthouse Shadows "site is proximate to major employment opportunities, goods and services, and public transit."

The report also states that the projected population growth in the county "provides sufficient demand for market-based apartments." 

"We expect between 7,000 and 7,500 new (people) to move to the county every year," said Cormac Giblin, the housing operations and grant development manager for Collier County. "There's a constant need for new housing ... We have got to keep up with growth." 

Reach Andrew Wigdor at awigdor@gannett.com and on Twitter @andrew_wigdor