Metro and Barron Collier begin construction of Founders Square in Naples, Fla.

Back in 2016, Eric Mallory and his colleagues at Metro Commercial were excited to have hooked up with Barron Collier Companies in the development of a 55-acre parcel in Naples, Fla. One of the largest real estate developers in Florida, the company is led by the Collier family and traces its roots back 100 years to Barron G. Collier, founder and namesake of the county in which Naples resides.

“We thought it would be an ideal location for a large power center anchored by Home Depot or Lowe’s and a full-line supermarket,” said Mallory, executive VP of Metro, who noted that the area surrounding the site at the intersection of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard was projected to be the fastest-growing population center in Collier County within 10 years.

Problem was that neither Lowe’s nor Home Depot were building many new stores when plans for what would become known as Founders Square were being laid out. The power center concept was dropped, and Barron Collier and Metro turned to charting blueprints for a mixed-use center. Now under construction and scheduled to open in late 2021 are a 400-unit luxury apartment complex, a medical office building, and an 110,000-sq.-ft. self-storage facility.

But Metro and Barron Collier figure the center’s biggest draw for locals in the neighborhood will be The Pointe, a 40,000-sq.-ft., horseshoe-shaped dining and retail plaza placed at an angle to the main intersection and chocked with popular local eateries. Initial tenants, just announced last week, include Fuji Sushi, Palumbo’s Pizzeria, South Street Grill, and Tequila Cantina.

“Each of the tenants have great outdoor space and the parking ratio is 12 to one.  Our goal for The Pointe is a $20 million restaurant volume,” Mallory said. “This area contains several large residential developments and there’s a restaurant void there at this time.”

Metro’s is still looking for fitness, fashion, beauty, and health providers to fill open spots ranging from 1,400 sq. ft. to 6,000 sq. ft.