Tim Aten Knows
19 April 2024
Q: Do you know what’s going to be built at the corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard next to the ALDI and Chick-fil-A? I saw they cleared that parcel spot. —Mike Paulins, Naples Q: Are you hearing anything in regard to CAVA Mediterranean bowls coming to Naples? —Jeff Schmidt, Naples A: Trees and brush on the northwest corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard are being cleared for the more than 27,000-squarefoot Tree Farm Plaza. Three restaurant chains—including Cava—and two other businesses are the first to sign leases for locations in the 14unit retail center to be built immediately east of ALDI grocery store and west of the CVS pharmacy on that corner. The five businesses coming so far are in the first of two buildings planned along Addison Place Drive. They are Chipotle Mexican Grill, Cava Mediterranean grill, Riko’s Pizza, The Drip Bar and Encore Nail & Spa, said John Cheffy of Investment Properties Corp. of Naples. “We have others who aren’t signed but we’ve agreed upon terms,” said Cheffy, noting that prime leasing opportunities are still available in the development for retail stores, professional offices and health and wellness services. Plans filed with Collier County Growth Management show that Stevens Construction is the general contractor for the single-story project, which broke ground in early April on three vacant commercial parcels totaling 3.38 acres. LNMT Tree Farm LLC purchased the parcels in September 2021 for $3.8 million, county property records show. The development is projected for completion on Nov. 1 and businesses are expected to open there in late 2024 or early 2025. Chipotle plans its fourth restaurant and first drive-thru location in Collier County in the 2,500-squarefoot unit nearest ALDI on the western end of the retail strip. The fast-casual chain has restaurants in Mercato, Naples Plaza and Restaurant Row, as well as more than 230 locations in Florida and 3,435 worldwide. Chipotle doesn’t offer traditional drive-thru lanes where verbal orders are usually placed onsite from a vehicle. Instead, Chipotlanes, as the company calls them, are for customers to pick up digital orders they place on the company’s app or website without having to come into the store. The restaurant’s new location will include a 350-square-foot patio for outdoor seating. On the eastern end of that same building, Cava will operate a restaurant in another 2,500-square-foot unit with 1,000 square feet of outdoor dining between the two buildings of Tree Farm Plaza. The Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain is owned by the publicly traded Cava Group, which purchased Zoës Kitchen, a similar restaurant chain, in 2018. Cava has two locations in south Fort Myers, but this will be its first in the Naples area. Cava Group, which has more than 300 locations in 25 states, launched Cava’s health-driven menu features custom-made or chef-curated bowls and pita wraps. The concept’s base options include a variety of grains and greens with i...