Tim Aten Knows
26 April 2024
Q: Any idea of what is happening to the old Red Lobster on 41 near Mooring Line Drive? —Nicholas Zimmerman, Naples A: Chick-fil-A is proposing a drive-thru restaurant at the site of the former Red Lobster restaurant on U.S. 41 in Naples. At the Naples Design Review Board meeting on April 26, Nick Forthman of Narrate Design was on the agenda to present Chick-fil-A’s plans to the city for preliminary design review. The Atlanta-based fastfood chain plans a 4,524-squarefoot restaurant with dual drive-thru lanes and indoor and outdoor dining on the nearly 1.5-acre property at 2355 Ninth St. N., according to plans filed with the city. The new restaurant is proposed to replace a longtime freestanding 8,494-square-foot restaurant in the Moorings area. Until closing in November 2022, it was home for decades to the only Red Lobster location in Collier County. The property was originally developed in 1969 as an office building, according to local government records. The nearest current location for Red Lobster is at 3801 Cleveland Ave. in Fort Myers. Originally a Darden restaurant, Orlando-based Red Lobster reportedly is considering Chapter 11 reorganization. The national seafood chain known for its Cheddar Bay Biscuits started more than 50 years ago in Lakeland, Florida. The proposed Chick-fil-A still has a few hurdles before construction can begin. “The project is required to obtain administrative site plan approval prior to submittal for consideration for final design review. A conditional use permit will also be required per Section 58-503 of the land development code to allow the drive-thru in the HC-Highway Commercial zoning district. Outdoor dining approval by City Council will also be required prior to final design review,” city staff reported. Because the project name filed with the city is “Chick-Fil-A Naples Coastland,” it’s possible that the proposed freestanding Chick-fil-A could replace the longtime Chick-fil-A location nearby in the Coastland Center mall food court, but this could not be confirmed by Chick-fil-A representatives. Chick-fil-A reps also had pre-application meetings last summer with Collier County Growth Management staff members regarding two other new locations in North Naples, but these projects have not progressed since then and additional plans have not been filed. One proposal was for a new 3,686-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant at the former Red Robin and Applebee’s freestanding restaurant outparcels in Granada Shoppes on the southeast corner of U.S. 41 North and Immokalee Road. The other proposal was for a 5,335-square-foot Chick-fil-A restaurant with a separate Wawa store and gas station on more than 5 acres on the vacant northeast corner of Pine Ridge Road and Logan Boulevard. 7-Eleven reopening Q: Do you know the status of the 7-Eleven on Third in Naples? —Kris Johnson Chirillo, Naples A: The franchisee of the 7-Eleven store at 1353 Third St. S. in downtown Naples hopes to reopen this summer before the second annivers...