Collier County Recycling Now Handles Styrofoam

I noticed a few car carriers coming back. It’s only just begun, but they arrived here in time for this glorious weather we’ve been enjoying. I don’t think when any of us moved here, we realized we were really moving into Paradise! Oh yah, it was nice and all, and we heard people say that, but it turns out everything they said was REAL! How blessed we are to live right here! Even up the state a little, things change. I have a son in Ft. Lauderdale, and it’s really not his favorite place, but he works in the sports industry, and you have to go where the jobs are. I have a daughter in Orlando, and that’s where she and her kids live and work in the school system up there. She’s not crazy about it, but she lives in a rather separate area without huge amounts of traffic and tourism, and she’s happy being with her kids. Another son lives in Albany, New York and he likes it! He was eight months old when we moved here and I thought he’d grow up to live here forever, but his job took him up there (he’s a Nuclear Design Engineer). BUT the good news is, I have two kids that live here and I don’t think they’ll ever leave. The son that was born here and works as a Paramedic, and the other is permanently affixed to this area and has three kids who are already enlarging her family now.

*Last week I felt it was important to see how the Old Kmart building is coming along, and I was pleasantly surprised. Planet Fitness is open and running with a huge amount of equipment and plenty of people already using the facility. They are taking memberships right now! They don’t offer any Tai Chi classes though. Home Goods is open and hiring, and I saw people going in and looking around at their stock. That was a couple days ago. Maybe they are already selling, although I couldn’t tell for sure, but I could tell it was open and people were thrilled! And Burlington has their doors open and are hiring people, but it really looks like people are already looking around for things to buy. Five days makes a big difference, and I bet by the time you read this, they are busy selling merchandise as well! There was a little end cap on that building that almost looked like a small restaurant, but there are no signs or indications as to what it is. Let me tell you another personal interesting story about the Restaurant Row buildings. The owner came to visit me while I was in office to ask my opinion about what restaurants are needed in that area. I said if he invites some class restaurants right there, and stays away from fast food, he’ll have a gold mine. Well, he must have asked his Commercial Real Estate Broker who told him “restaurants would never go there! They need take out!” So, the owner followed the advice of his broker and very shortly he found they weren’t getting the business they expected, so the owner came bounding into my office, yelling and saying they are losing money with my advice. And I said, “if you had taken my advice, you would be doing very well.” Just figure for yourself:  you have an enormous development (Lely Resort) filled with well-heeled people, right behind that shopping center, plus you have Marco Island, Isles of Capri, Fiddler’s Creek and Treviso Bay, and none of them are prone to use take out restaurants! They want to dine and enjoy! You have a huge amount of people who like to eat out, dine, enjoy life, are retired or business people. WHY would you build take-out restaurants, other than Chick-Fil-A? You have no one nearby to use them! He didn’t talk with me after that, but we all saw what happened. Yet, as they build, they STILL choose to believe realtors who live in Bonita and don’t know our area at all!! I guess I’ll never understand. Just open your eyes folks!

*You might remember that recycling was one of my favorite subjects and I took many groups there to see how it all works. One of the most modern and right now, rare, recycling products is large Styrofoam pieces that no one knows how to dispose of. Collier County just last year bought a huge “oven” to dispose of these huge pieces of Styrofoam. We’re one of the few counties in the state of Florida that has one, and they are too expensive right now to have more than one for the entire county!  There is only one machine in Collier County, and it’s in North Naples, but it does the trick for the entire county!

*I’m sure you’ve all been for a ride to the City of Naples just to see what is going on at least since last year. Lately you may have noticed a lot of construction vehicles clearing out rock and debris where the road splits, and last year you read about a new, exciting very tall building about to be built that will change the face of the area almost immediately, going right into that Triangle area between Davis Boulevard and U. S. 41E. I’ve heard from the underground that a few investors are buying up old, abandoned or neglected buildings in that area, but keeping it quiet. They can smell the money coming and they are investing while the “getting’ is good.” Just keep watching. I know I will.