Barron Collier Enthusiastic About Ave Maria Developments
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Published on Friday, 11 April 2014 15:47
New home sales in the town of Ave Maria are continuing a strong trend, Barron Collier Chief Operating Officer Brian Goguen told an Ave Maria University fundraising dinner Thursday night in Naples.
The new Maple Ridge subdivision is fulfilling a demand for "nice, beautiful, affordable homes," Mr. Goguen said, announcing that first-quarter sales in 2014 totalled 74 homes, compared with a total of 42 in the same period in 2013.
Overall, Mr. Goguen said the company expects sales in Ave Maria this year to reach the company's goal of between 250 and 300 homes, outpacing 2013, when he said that 173 home contracts were signed, about half of them in Maple Ridge. There were 65 homes sold in all of 2012, Mr. Goguen said.
In total, Maple Ridge has sold 115 homes and is planned for 1,500 at build-out.
During a question-and-answer session, Mr. Goguen also said:
- Barron Collier is working with Wal-Mart to build a store on land Barron Collier owns in Immokalee. "Wal-Mart approached us and we are going through the zoning process," Mr. Goguen said. He did not provide details about timing. Previous stories have reported the interest of a "big box" retailer in locating in Immokalee, but Mr. Goguen's comments were the first confirmation that the retailer is Wal-Mart.
- A hospital in eastern Collier County, plans for which were announced by Barron Collier President Blake Gable in late 2012, is "not on a fast track," adding that "not much will be happening in the next few years."
- Arthrex currently has 633 employees at its manufacturing plant in Ave Maria, plans to hire 40 more people soon, and will add an additional 70 employees when it builds a second facility at its location on Oil Well Rd. About 20 Arthrex employees have moved to Ave Maria, he said.
- A 50-acre recreational lake near Arthrex should be available for public use in about two years.
- A road running from Del Webb directly to Oil Well Rd. is planned for completion by the end of 2014.
