Southwest: Easy Livin' Breeds Business Success

Gaining momentum

Unique in its own right, Ave Maria is proving to be a springboard for other development, including the newly created Training and Manufacturing Institute (TMI) in nearby Immokalee.

The brainchild of Walt Burdick and Bob Juster, both of whom retired to Collier County from New York, TMI is an innovative business concept designed to attract new construction-related businesses and train the workers that will staff them.

The idea grew from a conversation two years ago between Burdick, a former IBM training executive, and Juster, who had previously owned a millwork and cabinetry business. Recognizing that the town of Ave Maria and its university would be going up in a largely rural area with a workforce primarily skilled in agriculture-related jobs, the two created TMI, a 30,000-square-foot facility which offers of- fice, manufacturing and warehouse space primarily for businesses in the construction trades.

More than 600 technology businesses call Southwest Florida home, drawn here by a skilled workforce, advanced infrastructure, superior schools and low business costs.

"There's going to be so much going on over the next five to 10 years that we believe there will be a tremendous need for people like electricians, people skilled in tile work and so forth," says Burdick.

With the assistance of the Economic Development Council of Collier County, Burdick and Juster were able to obtain $60,000 for job creation and more than $196,000 to cover impact fees, plus help with expedited permitting.

"What is happening with Ave Maria as the driver of building in east Collier is history in the making," Juster says. "There is tremendous opportunity for profit, and there is tremendous opportunity for the growth of individuals and families."

Not to mention an exceptional quality of life, too.

"Working in Collier County sure beats working in New York," adds this avid golfer. "Everything is so accessible from the standpoint of fun, health care and culture."

Accessibility has a part to play in the development of two self-contained, combined-use projects planned for Charlotte and Lee counties, too.

The 13,686-acre Babcock Ranch development in Lee County involves the construction of nearly 18,000 housing units, 600 hotel rooms, 664,000 square feet of industrial space, 3 million square feet of commercial space, 72 holes of golf, seven schools and up to 295 acres of parks. And Betty Williams, executive director of the Charlotte County Economic Development Office, reports that the planned 871- acre Murdock Village in Port Charlotte will include downtown amenities, new homes and businesses.

These two projects, plus reasonably priced property and the prospect of future growth in Charlotte County, have prompted partners Robert Vigliotti and Timothy Shave to develop the Cooper Street Commerce Park.

"We feel Charlotte County is the next growth area," says Vigliotti. Cooper Street will bring needed light industrial space to Charlotte County in a location that is less than half a mile from Punta Gorda on U.S. 41, yet also near Interstate 75 and not far from several airports.

"Our location is unique," Vigliotti says, "and for a complex of this size to be near a city with a window of exposure on U.S. 41 is pretty powerful." The first two of seven planned buildings are expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2007, offering prospective business owners access to new offices, warehouses and showrooms.

Meanwhile, in southern Lee County at Bonita Springs, the 2,400-acre master- planned Bonita Bay community is currently under construction. When fully completed in 2010, Bonita Bay will include single-family homes and condominiums, five championship golf courses, three waterfront parks, a marina and nature preserve.

Bonita Springs is also the home base for WCI Communities Inc., which for some 50 years has been in the business of creating master-planned communities for affluent homebuyers in several East Coast states, including more than 20 sites throughout Florida.

Florida's Southwest region is served by Interstate 75 and U.S. 41, three deepwater ports (Port Manatee, the Port of Miami and Port Everglades) and Seminole Gulf Railway.

A new 798,000-square-foot terminal at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers opened in September 2005 after three years under construction. The $438-million terminal is double the size of its predecessor, which will soon be demolished and replaced with commercial space.

Residents and businesses continue to take advantage of Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in east Fort Myers with satellite campuses in Charlotte and Collier counties, and Cape Coral.

At FGCU, business owners may polish their management skills and workers can receive job-related training. Counseling and training are also available for business owners at the university's Small Business Development Center.

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Garnering attention

Southwest Florida's growing economy is getting noticed on a national scale. In February 2006, Milken Institute-- an independent economic think tank--ranked the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area in Lee County second in its Best Performing Cities Index.

Not only are new businesses taking root here, they're expanding, too. A case in point is Prestige Packaging. Last year, this pharmaceutical packaging company opened its executive offices and sales, production and warehousing operations in Fort Myers after comparing sites in several states. Now, according to Kent Lewis, director of manufacturing, the company plans to move its distribution center here by the end of 2006. Prestige has already created 16 new jobs and will add another 25 when the distribution center opens. In 2007, another 10 to 15 new hires are anticipated, Lewis says.

Why the move to Southwest Florida? "Obviously, the weather is a plus," Lewis says, "and there were some tax incentives from Lee County to locate our businesses here--that was icing on the cake."

The Milken Institute awarded the Naples-Marco Island area a thirdplace spot among best performing cities in 2006, up from number 15 the year before, due to "broad-based job and salary growth, the highest in the nation over the past five years." Punta Gorda, the Charlotte County seat, ranked 22nd on Milken's list of Best Performing Small Cities.

Strong economic performance-- plus a good number of golf courses-- prompted Fort Myers-based Golf & Electric Vehicles to open in Punta Gorda in September 2005.

"A lot of communities have golf as their primary attraction, like this area, and we wanted to be able to provide quality service and vehicles," says regional sales manager Jason Brownell, who operates the thriving Punta Gorda store.

The company, which is owned by Brownell's parents Roger and Dian, is an authorized Club Car dealer, but also carries multi-passenger and utility vehicles. The company's other stores are located in Naples, Orlando, Jacksonville and Melbourne.

Year-round fishing, tennis and golf, plus world-class performing arts venues and dozens of local galleries and shops add to Southwest Florida's special appeal.

"The people in the community have been very gracious to us, and we hope to return the hospitality," says Brownell.

In addition to its numerous golf courses, Charlotte County has 70 parks and recreational areas and approximately 12.5 miles of Gulf Coast beaches. Ranked as one of the world's top sport fishing destinations, the county also boasts nature cruises, water sports, kayaking and sailing among its recreational activities .

Lee County boasts 19 artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and 50 miles of sandy beaches, plus the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, home to the Symphony of Southwest Florida.

In Collier County, the $53.8 million, 24,000-square-foot Sun-N-Fun Lagoon water park is slated to open this year in the new 212-acre North Collier Regional Park, which also includes a wetlands preserve boardwalk, community center and playground.

--. By Shelly Sigo

Tags: Southwest, Housing/Construction, Business Florida