Tim Aten Knows: Vanderbilt Beach Road extension making progress

Q: Any idea what is going in on the corner of Massey Street and Vanderbilt Beach Road? They’ve cleared a fair amount of land there. — J.J., Naples 

A: A large parcel on the northeast corner of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Massey Street that had grazing cattle a couple of months ago has been cleared as part of the Collier County’s massive three-year project to extend and widen Vanderbilt Beach Road, 7 miles east from Collier Boulevard to 16th Street Northeast in Golden Gate Estates.   

“That is part of the Vanderbilt Beach Road project that incorporates a right turn onto Massey Street from Vanderbilt Beach Road,” said Matthew Thomas, the construction engineering inspection project management supervisor for the county’s Transportation Engineering Division.  

As part of the project, Massey Street also will see improvements from Vanderbilt Beach Road to the roundabout where Massey meets Woodcrest Drive, Tree Farm Road and Calusa Pines Drive. Massey Street improvements were to have been made near the start of the project but they had to be delayed.  

The county awarded the construction contract for the Vanderbilt Beach Road extension to Sacyr Construction USA and the project broke ground last September. Progress has been made in the last seven months, the county reports. 

“Currently, clearing and grubbing are still going on for the project. The contractor has started embankment and drainage installations and continues to excavate the new canal,” Thomas said. “In the beginning of the project, there was an environmental wildlife survey that caused some setbacks but that has been completed.”  

The Vanderbilt Beach Road extension, estimated at more than $200 million, is the most expensive road project ever undertaken by Collier County. That includes more than $153 million for actual construction and about $45 million for right-of-way acquisitions. Clearing for the future road cuts through the back of residential lots between 10th Avenue and 12th Avenue.  

The finished road east of Collier Boulevard will look similar to Vanderbilt Beach Road west of Collier Boulevard to Airport-Pulling Road, said Jay Ahmad, the county’s transportation engineering director, who oversees the department responsible for the project’s design, permitting and right-of-way acquisition.  

“Six lanes will be constructed to Wilson (Boulevard) and two lanes east of Wilson to 16th Street,” Ahmad said. “There will be new traffic lights and new signals at Eighth Street, Wilson and 16th Street.”  

The extended road will provide an alternative route expected to alleviate traffic on the parallel Immokalee Road and Golden Gate Boulevard, as well as create new Estates connections at Wilson, Eighth Street and 16th Street. The completion of construction is estimated to be in fall of 2025. A future phase is expected to eventually extend the road farther east from 16th Street to at least Everglades Boulevard.   

More on Massey

 

While the recent clearing of vacant land at Massey Street and Vanderbilt Beach Road is for the road extension project, expect the eventual clearing immediately to the north and east of that corner for a future gated residential community by Fort Myers-based Seagate Development Group.  

Fifty single-family homes are proposed around cul-de-sacs on current vacant grazing land near that corner of Massey Street and Vanderbilt Beach Road. The acreage has been owned for decades by Wayne and Syble McCollum of Naples, but Seagate Development is scheduled to close on the property this month. J.R. Evans Engineering petitioned the county for a plans and plat review for the proposed Massey/VBR 50 project at 950 Massey St. and four other parcels. The actual name of the new community has not been announced yet.  

Less than half of the nearly 52 acres on that corner are proposed to be used for actual home lots. While homes are planned to be built on 23.5 acres, 7.5 acres will be used for right of way, 6.3 acres for preserve, 5.3 acres total for three lakes and 8.8 acres for additional open space, the conceptual plan shows.  

Although the land is zoned as a receiving area in the rural fringe mixed-use district, transfer of development rights credits must be purchased because the allowable density for that property is one dwelling unit per 5 acres, county records show.   

Another peek at Peaks

 

Q: Any new info on the Naples Twin Peaks? I just drove by and there is fencing around the area and a Bobcat (excavator) inside. — Joe McBride, Naples  

A: Planning to finally make good on its “coming soon” sign, which has been in place on Coastland Center mall property in Naples since at least January 2022, the city finally approved the building permit for Twin Peaks.   

“I’d say in approximately seven to eight months we’ll be open,” said Fred Burgess, co-chief executive officer of DMD Ventures. “That permit was a long time coming.”  

So, that would put Twin Peaks opening in Naples around the end of this year. The freestanding restaurant and bar will not be in the mall but rather just outside it on the vacant outparcel site on the north side of the mall across from Naples High School.  

DMD Ventures holds the exclusive development rights in southern Florida for the Dallas-based restaurant brand. DMD launched the Fort Myers location for Twin Peaks in the fall of 2015. The Collier County location originally was proposed to open first on Naples Boulevard in North Naples, but that didn’t happen, of course. 

DMD also plans a Twin Peaks location in Cape Coral. The franchise company purchased the former Golden Corral Buffet & Grill this month and plans to retrofit the vacated space at 410 Andalusia Blvd. off Pine Island Road for a new restaurant and bar, said J. Felipe Arcila, a senior advisor for Naples-based Kova Commercial Group. “Over the coming months, the building will undergo a complete remodel, and we are delighted to share that it will be transformed into a Twin Peaks restaurant,” Kova reports.  

The sports bar entertainment concept opened its 100th location nationwide last month. Originally promoted as “the ultimate man cave,” Twin Peaks features a rugged mountain lodge theme — although its usual rustic exterior was tamed a bit by the Naples Design Review Board. Scenic views inside feature waitresses sporting lumberjack-inspired outfits with short khaki shorts and midriff-baring red plaid tops while serving a menu of comfort food and 29-degree draft beer.  

The “Tim Aten Knows” weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at tim.aten@naplespress.com.