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Lee County

Space business

A Southwest Florida tech company is preparing to launch itself and the local economy into space in 2023 using 3D-printed satellites. Space Tech founder Wil Glaser set his sights sky-high and then some, hoping what is now a model rocket will carry his company into the future.

The company is using 3D printers to create a design-intensive cube satellite, made to efficiently house all the hardware and software needed to operate in space. Thanks to the 3D printers, not much assembly is required, so Space Tech does not need a large facility. The company is located on Florida Gulf Coast University-owned property where it can focus on its commercial application and is able to bring students in from FGCU to learn its applications, as well.

More single-family homes

Addison Square, a community of 52 homes, is coming to south Fort Myers at the southeast corner of Idlewild Street and Plantation Road. Pulte Homes paid $2.4 million for the 17-acre lot in a deal brokered by Chuck Mayhugh of Mayhugh Commercial Advisors.

The homes will start at more than $500,000 and will range from 1,600 to 3,400 square feet of living space. Construction of the model homes is expected to begin by the spring, with some of the houses expected to be finished by summer.

‘Huge’ real estate deal 

Kia of Cape Coral and Kia of Port Charlotte, both formerly owned by the late Billy Fuccillo, have been purchased by Morgan Automotive Group. Morgan paid $14.5 million for the Cape Coral land at 404 NE Pine Island Road and $22.35 million for the Port Charlotte land at 202 Tamiami Trail. Morgan made the purchases from LMP Automotive Holdings, which bought the Cape Coral land from Fuccillo’s company for $13.1 million in March 2021, an increase of about 11% in value in less than two years.

LMP Automotive, a Fort Lauderdale-based publicly traded company, is dissolving and liquidating its assets, while Morgan Automotive Group continues to expand. LMP Automotive began distributing the profits to shareholders at the start of 2023.

Replacing the clock

The iconic clock on Fort Myers Beach, which was lost during Hurricane Ian, is being replaced. Fort Myers Beach builder Joe Orlandini attempted to find the Times Square centerpiece, but after no luck, he and his partners purchased a replacement clock for $38,000 from Verdin Company in Ohio, the same company that built the original.

“We definitely want to keep the character and keep the vibe of the island,” Orlandini says.

Orlandini also replaced the palm tree in Times Square, and has been searching for other landmark pieces that were lost in the storm. He found the tiki head that sat outside the Yucatan Beach Stand across Matanzas Pass and brought him home.

Landmarks sell

Two iconic properties on Fort Myers Beach have sold for big money. The property where The Cottage and Shucker’s once stood is officially under contract. Though the buyer information has not yet been released, the listing agent said it is a “very well-respected company.”

The property had an asking price of $16 million, and was said to have sold for around that price.

The Silver Sands Villas property also sold to TPI, who is developing Margaritaville, for $7.1 million. In 2001, the same property sold for $1.75 million.

Collier County

IV therapy 

Liquivida Wellness Center has opened at 9655 Tamiami Trail N., Unit 102, in North Naples. The franchise, which is based in Fort Lauderdale, has a range of services from Botox to hormone replacement.

IV drip therapy is one of the premier services the center provides for people of all ages in different areas of life. Although IVs have gained a reputation for being a hangover cure, this type of therapy is beneficial in various aspects of lifestyle wellness, from vitamin B energy boosts to strengthening the immune system.

The IV drip process takes between 30 and 45 minutes and is administered by a licensed paramedic on staff. Each dose ranges from $95 to $250.

Filling Galleria Shoppes

New businesses at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt have filled the available units at the North Naples lifestyle center. Not only are existing units leased, but a new multitenant space, Building 900, is under construction off Airport-Pulling Road near the center’s northeast entrance.

“We already have a few new tenants that have pre-leased the building. I have a few left. I anticipate as we get closer to completing the building that it will be leased up very quickly,” says P.J. Hill, leasing manager for the Shoppes at Vanderbilt.

Built 15 years ago, the Shoppes at Vanderbilt offers a variety of tenants from quick-service and full-service restaurants to retailers and service concepts in a collection of at least a dozen buildings on more than 30 acres.

More new tenants will be joining the new six-unit building under construction in 2023.

“We’re going to be bringing in a Crave cookies franchise. It’s similar to Crumbl,” Hill says. “I’m working currently with a high-end fashion designer and Murano glass retailer, as well. We expect some additional retailers there; service concepts, as well. We’re leaving that pretty open and we’re welcoming all opportunities and all different concepts.”

More than a market

The organic market to complement the Food & Thought 2 restaurant in North Naples launched at the end of 2022, with 800 to 1,000 customers visiting the market on its opening day.

The market joins the restaurant that opened in mid-June in a Fountain Square space off Airport-Pulling Road, and they share an outdoor seating space between them in an expansive courtyard.

Some of the market’s stations include a gluten-free bakery and deli, a cheese and guacamole bar, a juice bar and sections for produce, wine, beverages, health products and grab-and-go meals. There is a stage for live music set up outside, along with a fire pit.

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