Gulfshore Playhouse parking garage proposal advances, could spur redevelopment in Naples downtown area

A Naples public-private partnership to build a new downtown parking garage would bring value to the area and spur redevelopment, city officials and community stakeholders said Monday. 

The Naples City Council, meeting as the Community Redevelopment Agency board, voted unanimously Monday to advance the proposal. The council directed staff to write up an agreement among the involved parties, include a funding strategy in the CRA's upcoming capital improvement plan and develop economic impact projections. 

The partnership would be a part of the Gulfshore Playhouse's plan to build what planners call a downtown "cultural campus" that would include a new theater. 

In 2017, the playhouse purchased 3 acres at the corner of First Avenue South and Goodlette-Frank Road for the new campus. The playhouse later offered to donate a portion of that land to the city in exchange for the city constructing a new parking garage, which would serve the needs of both the public and the playhouse. Gulfshore Playhouse still owns the land. 

A possible location for the garage would be on approximately 1 acre at the intersection of 12th Street North and First Avenue South, but other locations were previously explored by the city for a new garage. 

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Ellen Seigel, the chairwoman of the CRA, said the city is focused on the First Avenue location because the alternatives were either too expensive or not in a good location. The city would save money by using the playhouse land rather than buying new property for the project. 

Many of the specifics of the garage are preliminary, but based on staff research, a projected cost for the current proposal would be around $10 million. Additionally, 396 parking spaces have been proposed for the garage. 

"I think we all know what Naples expects from an aesthetic standpoint as well as a performance standpoint, so we would want this to be top notch," Roger Reinke, the assistant city manager, told the CRA.

Reinke said the new parking garage could help spur redevelopment in the area. 

"I really am optimistic that this can be a win-win situation for all of these property owners, for the city and the community at large," he said. "This really is an exciting project."

Vice Mayor Gary Price, who had questioned the need and location for the garage, supported it Monday.

"I've gone from thinking that the parking garage is a bad idea to thinking that it is absolutely critical," he said. 

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He cited the large number of people using Baker Park, which opened in October. He said that with the playhouse's proximity to the park, the garage is a "must-do" project.

According to Gulfshore Playhouse founder and producing artistic director Kristen Coury, who also spoke at the meeting, "theaters are leaders in creating residual business."

"With theaters, people generally shop or dine before or after a show," she said. 

People attending shows often spend up to $65 per person on other businesses in the area, Coury said. 

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Councilman Ray Christman, however, said that while the garage could yield great economic returns, he would like to first know more about what to expect. 

"That investment may be warranted, but it is taxpayer dollars," he said. "I think we have an obligation to ask for some additional analysis."

He suggested that staff look into what the investment in the parking garage would produce in terms of new businesses, jobs and tax revenue. 

The playhouse is closing in on about $25 million from fundraising, according to Coury. The cost of the playhouse project will be more than $50 million, and construction is expected to start in early 2021. 

"We are right on track," Coury said.

Wynn's Catering building could be torn down for garage development 

Three property owners, including Gulfshore Playhouse, have signed on to work with the city on a land-use plan, which includes the donation of the land for the garage. 

The two other property owners are Wynn Family Properties and GeoSouthern Intermediate Holdings LLC. 

"The plan is premised on creating a catalyst for redevelopment of the land surrounding the parking garage in which the Gulfshore Playhouse property is located," states a November letter from Gulfshore Playhouse.

Jeff Wynn, the manager of a property that is adjacent to the Gulfshore Playhouse land on First Avenue and the president of Wynn Properties, said at the Monday meeting that his company wishes to redevelop that property. 

The property, which has been owned by the Wynn family since 1985, houses the Wynn Catering operation and a kitchen for Wynn's Market grocery store. 

Wynn said that the company would demolish the catering building and build a two- to three-story commercial building that would "complement" the playhouse. The new building would also block the view of the parking garage from First Avenue so that the street would have a "cohesive commercial" feel. 

The Wynn's Catering business would continue despite the demolition. 

"As far as the garage, the Wynn family thinks it will bring more value to the area for redevelopment," he said. "We see an opportunity in an area that has been stagnant." 

Monday's vote allows the company to go to an architectural firm to determine what options there are for the catering property, Wynn said.

"This is an important vote today to know that the city of Naples is behind the concept of a parking garage," he said. "They just need some more details." 

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