Q: I see trees coming down across from Lely. Is that where Home Depot is going to build? – Kim Phillips Bernth, Naples 

Q: Just curious, do you know what’s going in over on 41 where the Wave 101 radio station was that was just knocked down? Thanks. – Dave Belleau, Naples 

A: Clearing began in March on the wooded acreage along U.S. 41 East in East Naples that will be the future home of the third Home Depot store in Collier County. 

The Home Depot’s Southeast Naples project includes a 107,709-square-foot store with an adjoining 28,018-square-foot garden center on the southeast corner of Tamiami Trail East and Barefoot Williams Road. Construction of the big-box home improvement store is targeted for completion in March 2026, county documents show. 

The general contractor is R.A. Rogers Construction, a company from Altamonte Springs that specializes in retail, office, institutional and industrial warehouse construction. The engineer on record is Kimley-Horn & Associates. 

Atlanta-based Home Depot USA paid more than $13.25 million in October 2022 to acquire the combined six parcels totaling 13.79 acres in transactions that involved four different property owners, county records show. 

Home Depot’s narrow property starts on WAVV’s former radio studio site near the RaceTrac gas station and runs east along the south side of the East Trail across the highway from Lely Resort and the county waterpark at Donna Fiala Eagle Lakes Community Park. The southern side of the property borders the Marco Naples RV Resort, whose residents have been vocal about the loud noises and thick clouds of dust created by earthmovers clearing the previously undeveloped land. 

“We had an issue with dust complaints from the neighbors last month, and we are now checking in on the site regularly to make sure they are meeting watering requirements,” County Commissioner Rick LoCastro said May 9. 

A county code enforcement officer made an initial inspection of the construction site at 11800 Tamiami Trail E. on April 16 with follow-up inspections on April 23, April 25 and May 1, county records show. The status of the site development complaint remains open and notes that “Home Depot SE Naples PUD has failed to submit their required monitoring report.” 

Car wash plans 

Q: I’m curious to know if you have any information on what may or may not be built at the corner of Tamiami Trail East and Pine Street in Naples between Sandpiper Street and Bayshore Drive. The vacant lot has had multiple signs up over the past few years, so we are very curious to know if anything is for sure. – Matt Cottage, Naples 

A: The vacant commercial lot on the southeastern corner of U.S. 41 East and Pine Street in East Naples is destined for an automated car wash with vacuum stations. The half-acre property is on the west side of the East Trail between WoodSpring Suites Naples West extended-stay hotel and the Sunrise Motel property.  

Named on various site development plans as both Fifth Avenue Express Car Wash and Pine Street Car Wash, the new construction will include a more-than-3,000-square-foot single-tunnel car wash on the eastern edge of the property, according to documents filed with Collier County Growth Management.  

The real estate was acquired for $1.5 million in November 2023 by East Trail Management LLC, county property records show. That limited liability company is managed by North Naples residents Diane Calabrese and John Varela, state records show. 

Varela and Calabrese have other joint ventures owning commercial properties where many car washes have been built in Collier County. The partnership’s properties include car wash projects in East Naples, North Naples and Golden Gate Estates, business records show. 

Springs Plaza update 

Q: Do you know if another gym will be going into the previous Esporta gym at 8951 Bonita Beach Road SE, Suite 560, Bonita Springs? – Walter K., Naples 

A: Athletica Health & Fitness plans to open a new gym by the end of this year in the former space of Esporta and LA Fitness on the southern end of Springs Plaza, the retail center on the southeast corner of U.S. 41 and Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs. The vacated space is being built out now. 

Athletica members will have unlimited 24-hour access to the fitness center. Perks include group exercise classes, child care, a sauna and steam room, a pool, a spa, hydro massage, training programs and a Fit3D body scanner. Athletica also has an East Naples location in the Countryside Shoppes at 4019 Santa Barbara Blvd. 

Also in Springs Plaza, Ross Dress for Less launched March 8 in the former space of Goodwill. Pop Onigiri, a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen, sushi and teppanyaki-style rice bowls, is coming soon to the former longtime unit of Rosati’s Pizza.