Tim Aten Knows: Clearing begins for new hotel, Chick-fil-A

Q: I see that they’re putting fencing up where the JW Marriott was supposed to go. Did they get final approval yet? — M.W., Naples

A: Site work for the future JW Marriott, named in planning documents as Palm Street Hotel, began Sept. 15 after its final site development plans were approved Aug. 15 by the Collier County Growth Management Community Development Department. The new six-story, 331-room luxury hotel at 2096 Tamiami Trail E. in East Naples is targeted for completion in September 2027, county records show.

The 4.2-acre vacant site on U.S. 41 East is bound by Palm Street and Frederick Street just outside the Naples city limits in the Bayshore Gateway Triangle redevelopment area. Two of the nine small parcels assembled for the future hotel property used to be home to the longtime Little Italy Restaurant and a Checkers Drive-In before they were razed years ago. Downsized because of height limits, the hotel project originally was proposed as a seven-story, 438-key hotel and conference center.

The hotel is being developed by Columbia Sussex Corp. and its affiliate, Crestview Management LLC, based together in the Kentucky part of Greater Cincinnati. The hotel development company operates more than 40 hotels, including six in Florida.

In early 2022, Naples-based Barron Collier Companies purchased the East Trail parcels for the future commercial redevelopment project from Atlanta-based RaceTrac Petroleum, which had initially planned to build a convenience store and gas station there. Columbia Sussex, doing business as CP Naples LLC, purchased the properties last year for nearly $13 million, property records show.

The 225,000-square-foot hotel will have an occupancy of 1,884 with 20 suites, 186 king guestrooms and 125 queen queen guestrooms, plans show. The hotel’s first level will have nearly 14,000 square feet of meeting space, including ballrooms and boardrooms. Its third level will feature amenities such as an outdoor swimming pool, a pool bar and a pool deck with cabanas; and a restaurant with a bar, lounge and outdoor dining.

A total of 429 parking spaces will be provided on site with the majority of them in the hotel’s six-story, 110,000-square-foot main parking garage. The hotel project includes several offsite infrastructure improvements: the widening of Frederick Street from 10- to 11-foot lanes; widening of Palm Street to include an extended northbound approach to Tamiami Trail; and construction of a right-turn lane on Tamiami Trail for access to the hotel.

Columbia Sussex is privately owned by the Yung family, which has had Collier County connections for at least 25 years. President and founder William J. Yung III and his wife, Martha, own a seasonal home in the Port Royal neighborhood of Naples. The couple could not be reached for comment, nor could their son, Joe Yung, the vice president of development for Columbia Sussex and listed on development plans as the construction manager for the new hotel project.

Chick-fil-A’s pleasure 

Q: Looks like they started clearing a lot on the southeast corner of City Gate Drive and Collier Boulevard. Didn't you mention previously that a Chick-fil-A was going there? Is this the start of that? — John Strahmann, Naples 

A: Clearing began in September on a 2.3-acre vacant commercial lot for a Chick-fil-A restaurant with two drive-thru lanes at 3819 White Lake Blvd. The chain’s new location is targeted for completion Feb. 4 on the southeast corner of City Gate Drive and Collier Boulevard in City Gate commerce park just north of the Interstate 75 interchange at Exit 101.  

Architectural plans show 100 seats inside and 32 on a patio directly outside the freestanding, 5,663-square-foot, quick-service restaurant. The site plan shows that the proposed restaurant can accommodate 43 cars in its dedicated queue lanes. In addition, 70 parking spaces will be provided on site. 

The vacant commercial site is bounded by Collier Boulevard to the east, City Gate Drive to the north, White Lake Boulevard to the east and a future retail strip to its south. The two access points to the restaurant will be off White Lake Boulevard and City Gate Drive, site plans show. 

The popular chicken chain is undoubtedly positioning itself to take advantage of the interstate traffic and crowds coming to City Gate’s Paradise Coast Sports Complex and Great Wolf Lodge, as well as the massive Uline distribution center. 

Chick-fil-A won’t be the only eatery serving that high-traffic area along Collier Boulevard at City Gate Drive. Plans for the 10-unit City Gate Plaza, proposed to be developed immediately south of Chick-fil-A by Seagate Development Group, show spaces for a 6,000-square-foot full-service restaurant, a drive-thru restaurant, another smaller restaurant and additional inline retail/office spaces. MK Architecture is providing the architectural and engineering services for the nearly 22,000-square-foot retail strip on about 3 acres. 

The Tim Aten Knows weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at Tim.Aten@NaplesPress.com.