Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
A cottage-style luxury estate near downtown Naples sold before auction.
An on-site auction, scheduled for Monday, was canceled.
After three weekends of open houses and global outreach, the nearly 5,000-square-foot home, built in 2022, went under contract on Friday, for cash and without contingencies, said Randy Haddaway, founder and CEO of Elite Auctions.
His company, based in Naples, was hired to do the auction, which included a big marketing and advertising push ahead of the event.
It’s the third time in a row that a multimillion-dollar house sold in the Naples market before a planned auction by Elite. Properties that make it to auction are sold to the highest bidder without a reserve price.
Read more on this and other luxury properties on naplesnews.com.
Contact David at David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086 for more information and to view luxury properties in Naples, Bonita Springs and Marco Island.
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
City council unanimously approved a more than $24.6 million contract to rebuild the Naples Pier.
The approval came Wednesday, a little over two years after Hurricane Ian destroyed the iconic landmark on the Gulf of Mexico.
The contract includes a roughly $1.17 million contingency to “accommodate any unforeseen repairs or construction that may be required to complete the project,” equal to 5% of the bid price of nearly $23.46 million.
The city is still assessing impacts from Hurricane Helene, which did further damage last week to what remained of the pier.
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Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
The city’s Design Review Board has signed off on the plans for the new Port Royal Club in Naples.
On Wednesday, the board voted enthusiastically and unanimously in favor of the final design for a two-story, West Indies-style clubhouse, which will replace the iconic one destroyed by Hurricane Ian two years ago.
With that regulatory hurdle cleared, the city can now issue a building permit for the beachfront project, off Gordon Drive.
In a statement, the private, members-only club thanked its building committee, professional consultants and city staff for their help and support.
Further, the club expressed the Design Review Board’s approval marked “a significant step forward in our community’s recovery.”
The project, with an estimated price tag of $100 million, is expected to break ground in December.
Built in 1959, the original club, steps from the Gulf of Mexico, served as a social hub for Port Royal residents for decades. The right to membership is one of the reasons the wealthy have flocked to the community, named for the famous Jamaican pirate haven.
The reimagined club will have many new features, including more dining venues, a two-story parking garage, and an upgraded pool and pool deck. It has been designed to maximize views of the beach and the Gulf of Mexico, and to survive future hurricanes at a higher elevation.
Read the full story and see photos on naplesnews.com.
Contact David at David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086 for more information and to view luxury properties in Naples, Bonita Springs and Marco Island.
Charles Runnells | Naples Daily News
It’s official: Famous car enthusiast Jay Leno headlines next year’s Naples Automotive Experience, the multi-day event that includes the popular Cars on 5th.
The comedian and former host of The Tonight Show will perform stand-up comedy Thursday, Feb. 6, at Hertz Arena for Jay Leno Charity Comedy Night. Southwest Florida’s popular Ben Allen Band opens the show.
Leno will also attend an exclusive display of curated cars for a Friday, Feb. 7 event called The Ultimate Garage Tour with Jay Leno. Guests can mingle with him, learn about the cars’ history and enjoy live music, food and drinks.
In addition to Leno, Emmy Award-winning Hollywood stylist Brenda Cooper hosts a fashion event Friday, Feb. 7, called Forever Fabulous Women. The 1960s’ British-themed event includes Cooper sharing her fashion and styling secrets, a fashion show featuring clothing from the St. Matthew’s House Thrift Store fashion department, an English-style tea, a silent auction and a book signing with Cooper.
Read the full article and enjoy automobile photos on naplesnews.com.
Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
After much back and forth, Naples City Council narrowly approved a new mixed-use building downtown.
First approved by council in 2013, the larger planned development known as Naples Square, has continued to evolve at the corner of Fifth Avenue South and Goodlette-Frank Road.
The new three-story building, known as Encore, will include 15 luxury homes on two floors, with 6,825 square feet of retail and office spaces sitting underneath.
The commercial uses could include a small cafe.
The hearing ran for hours, with several council members raising concerns about the project’s impact on everything from roads to water drainage – and questioning whether it violated city rules.
In the end, council voted 4-3 in favor of the project Wednesday.
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