Mediterra, the luxury home community that spans northern Collier County into Bonita Springs, is pushing to expand its village center.  

The community was approved as a project in 2001 with the Collier side given 750 residential units plus a community center to provide amenities for its residents. The Club at Mediterra is asking the county for an amendment to increase its allowed square footage of the center from 80,000 to 120,000 square feet. The land totaling 4,000 square feet is currently being used as a stormwater lake.  

The purpose of this request is to accommodate a planned expansion of the sports club, which includes a new 2,700-square-foot grab-and-go food concept and a 1,450-square-foot spa wing.  

Although utilizing the village center in Mediterra requires a membership, Collier County Planning and Zoning Director Mike Bosi hopes other Southwest Florida communities prioritize nonresidential expansion for amenities.  

“This is really geared toward what we want to promote within our residential communities, providing expansion of nonresidential residential space to increase the internal capture,” Bosi said. “So we’re adding more club space to provide for more amenities and more activities for the residents within the community while retaining also the ability to add additional square footage of commercial square footage which would help with that internal capture. So staff is very supportive of it.” 

Planning commission member Edwin Fryer agrees projects such as this align well with the county’s growth management plan.  

“From my perspective, I think this is a very sensible thing that is definitely consistent with what this county wants to see,” Fryer said.  

The planning board voted unanimously in favor of the Mediterra expansion and will need final approval by the Board of Commissioners.