Real Estate Pioneer Spearheads Museum

Leave it to Jack Joyce, the 88-year-old real estate pioneer from the Deltona Corporation’s development of modern Marco Island, to strike with yet another creative idea to help bring attention to the island he loves.

Joyce, who in the 1960s came up with the idea for the Margo the Mermaid statue that still resides poolside at the JW Marriott, has successfully lobbied for a real estate museum in downtown Naples.

The museum, named The Southwest Florida Real Estate History Museum, is located at 824 5th Avenue South, next to Regina’s Ice Cream. The museum is being funded by John R. Wood Realty, who opened its doors in 1958.

“I met John R. Wood in 1975 and we became great friends,” Joyce said. “Over the years I’ve always encouraged him to open on Marco Island. I think he’s the finest realtor in Collier County, bar none. He’s now retired, and his son Phil runs the business. He came to Marco Island just four years ago.

“My love of history is such that I saw this space that Phil had here on 5th Avenue. I said to myself, ‘I’d love to have a museum on the vast history of real estate in Collier County—namely Marco Island and Naples.’”

So Joyce went to work.

“I approached Amanda Townsend, director of Collier County Museums. She said, ‘I’d love to partner this with you.’

“So with Amanda on my side, I approached Phil Wood. I had two goals. One to open the museum. And the other to bring Marco Island to Naples. To expose it to all of the people who come to Naples who might not know about Marco Island. There are thousands of people who traverse up and down 5th Avenue—especially during the season.

“So anyways, Phil fell in love with the idea. We retained the services of a graphic arts company and we proceeded to build the museum as you see it today.”

The museum, though small, enjoys an enviable location and well-executed displays. Marco Island has a special room of its own.

“We devote a reasonable portion to Marco Island,” Joyce said, “because Marco Island is distinctly different than Naples. Naples being a cosmopolitan area and Marco being more of a laid-back, second home, boat-at-the-backyard community.”