Naples Potpourri by Bill Barnett

Ever since I moved to the City of Naples 51 years ago, there have been many prime pieces of property that I have watched go on the market and get sold. From prime beachfront to small lots where people built homes and commercial lots that buildings for businesses and restaurants appeared. Over the years, these lots became scarcer and scarcer until eventually the City of Naples became built out. While there have been lots of resales, unsold property became nonexistent. For as long as I can remember there was one special piece of property right in the heart of Naples that remained vacant.
Bordering Fifth Avenue South on the north side, one couldn’t help but notice it. It was always well maintained and I watched development spring up around it on Tenth Street North and a small street that went from Tenth to 41 as a pass through. During my City Council and Mayoral years I would constantly get asked about it. Who owned it? Why wasn’t it for sale? Was it for sale? Imagine what one could do with it. My answer was always the same. Yes, I knew the family that owned it and when and if they ever were ready to sell it they would. I can’t begin to tell you how many offers over 51 plus years they might have had, I only know that it has finally been sold. It will be beautifully developed to blend in with Fifth Ave South and the new Gulfshore Playhouse. There will be condos and restaurants and, to me, it will be like a finishing touch on a masterpiece. Or like a puzzle whose missing piece has finally been found. I will keep you in the loop as I learn more. This special piece of property has a lot of meaning to me because of its history.

Once again we find ourselves cleaning up after not one, but two hurricanes and I have an extremely hard time when I hear people say “Oh, we did fine”. We didn’t, but I suppose comparatively speaking when we talk about the State of Florida we did.

It’s hard to believe the Christmas Holidays are around the corner. It seems as if every year the stores start putting holiday merchandise out earlier and earlier. It used to be right after Thanksgiving, but now it’s like right along with Halloween! I will of course tell you as I do every year: during the “season” in Naples if you have family or visitors and you’re planning to try some of Naples’ great restaurants you absolutely need to make reservations, or you will have some unhappy folks on your hands. Of course, there will always be the hearty souls that like to belly up to the bar, enjoy the decorations and holiday spirits, and, if it’s an hour or more wait for a table, all the merrier! Believe it or not there was a time when I could do that, but those days are long gone. I used to be able to write out my favorite restaurants in Naples but that’s become impossible these days as we have so many terrific places to dine. Yes, we still have some Mom and Pop ones, but you need to ask around to find them and they are definitely worth dining at.

I wish all of you a happy, healthy holiday season and that 2025 turns out to be the best year we ever had. Yes, I am and hope I will always be an eternal optimist. A special thanks to our City employees who work those extra hours to make Naples look so good!

Bill Barnett, Former Mayor
I do respond to e-mails at: mayornaples@gmail.com