Hot Properties

"It's an incredible area," D'Jamoos says. The firm recently sold the third of 10 buildings planned for the 16-acre site on the south side of Corkscrew Road, roughly halfway between U.S. 41 and Interstate 75. The 8,100-square-foot retail structure went for $1.4 million to Wayside Properties in a deal negotiated by Becky Andrews and Jerry Peterson, both of Grubb & Ellis VIP Bonita Springs division.

Another seven buildings, either two or three stories each, should be finished within two more years, totaling 130,000 square feet of retail, medical and office space.

Corkscrew Palms LLC opened in Naples roughly six years ago, but the company founder, Andy D'Jamoos' father, Joe, had been doing commercial and industrial development for more than 30 years in the Boston area. Although relatively new to the area, the company has done especially well. Andy D'Jamoos, who is the vice president of sales, estimates that Corkscrew Palms has developed-or is in the process of doing so-more than 3 million square feet of space in Lee and Collier counties.

Other projects include the Galleria Plaza on Airport Road and Colony Plaza Bonita Springs. D'Jamoos is pleased with activity at all the sites and considers them highly successful.

"The key is to get a feel for where the land is going and get there early," he says. "It's a risky business. If you get lucky, you can hit it rich. Successful development is about getting in and out right away."

Project: Corkscrew Palms

Developer: Corkscrew Palms LLC

Builder: D'Jamoos/Jerully Construction Company

Architect: Schenkel Shultz of Fort Myers

Total square feet: 130,000 for lease and for sale, some in condominium deals

Average lease rate: $16.50 per square foot

Average purchase price: $175 per square foot

Contact: Andy D'Jamoos, (239) 596-2773