Feature Story
Gates McVey Continues Northward Expansion with Diverse Services, Product Offerings
By Elizabeth W. Pearce

Like a handful of other Naples-based developers, Gates McVey began its foray into Lee County’s commercial market in the mid-1990s. And while it wasn’t the first developer/builder to recognize the commercial opportunities north of Bonita Springs, Gates McVey continues to lead the way with its remarkably diverse services and products. Currently in Southwest Florida, the company is developing approximately 25 commercial and residential projects that include retail centers and office buildings, a condominium hotel and even a college campus. “We now cover the entire Southwest Florida coast,” said Todd Gates, who founded the company in 1995 with James McVey. With the addition of Steve Robison as a partner in late 1999 and the creation of Gates McVey Capital Group, the company has evolved into a fully integrated development, construction, real estate, mortgage and property management operation. To accommodate its booming business and growing staff of approximately 40, Gates McVey plans to move into its new, two-story, 12,500sf corporate headquarters on U.S. 41 in north Naples during the first quarter. “We built it not only to be centrally located, but to better meet the needs of all markets in the tri-county area,” said James McVey. “It’s an investment for the future. We’re very excited about it.” Initially, Gates McVey concentrated primarily on Collier County, developing and building numerous first-class medical and office projects such as Cambridge Square, Edgemont Office Plaza, Lely Professional Center, The Strand Professional Center, Park East and Park Central. In fact, when it opened in 1999, Park Central set the standard for courtyard-style, medical/office condominium facilities in the area. All 10 of its 3,000sf buildings were sold within eight weeks. At the same time, the company was quickly expanding northward with the Bonita Professional Center and Center at the Springs in Bonita. Fort Myers projects include a number of office buildings, as well as a Hampton Inn Hotel and Central Park, along with the recently completed HealthPark Commons. Located on the grounds of Lee Memorial’s HealthPark on Bass Road, HealthPark Commons includes 10,000sf of medical office space in freestanding buildings and a 40,000sf outpatient facility. The three-story building was completed in mid-2003, and contains radiology and lab space for the hospital, as well as medical office space. Currently, Gates McVey is at the helm of several new high-profile developments in Lee County. Nonetheless, the company remains a dominant player in Collier County, where it is developing its first exclusively residential project in addition to various types of commercial space. “Our projects have gotten larger and a lot more interesting,” Gates admits. New in Lee County From downtown Fort Myers to I-75, many of Gates McVey’s most prominent projects are acting either as catalysts for new construction or inspiration for redevelopment. The latter category comprises what Gates calls “one of the largest and most exciting” projects in Lee County, located in downtown Fort Myers. There on Edwards Drive, Gates McVey is poised to close on the 24-story Amtel Ramada Inn overlooking the Caloosahatchee River. When that happens, the company plans to transform the 419-room inn into an upscale condominium hotel. Yet to be named, it will be operated as a new flag in conjunction with a major hotel chain. Approximately half of the current rooms will be reconfigured into two-bedroom, two-bath residential units to meet a growing demand for quality, downtown housing. “The marketplace is telling us they want condominiums with boat access in a nice environment at a reasonable price - not more hotel rooms,” said Gates. “This property has suffered because it is just too big to be a hotel. I think that between 150 and 200 rooms would be sufficient for tourists, conventioneers and business people.” The balance will be available to buyers who desire living space that offers the amenities of a luxury hotel, such as valet, concierge and spa services, with perks including covered parking in the parking garage, and access to a boat dock. Residents could also take advantage of limo service to and from the airport, as well as room service. One of the unique amenities is the private island that Gates McVey has contracted to buy. Known as Lofton’s Island, it will be developed to provide a restaurant, private beach and dockage, and residential villas. People who own high-rise units in the condo hotel will have first dibs on purchasing the villas and any dock space. Prices for the condos and villas have not been determined. However, Gates McVey officials believe their new condo hotel will help boost downtown rejuvenation. “Right now, most people work downtown and then leave after 5 p.m.,” said McVey. “Once people are living, sleeping and staying there 24 hours a day, they’ll need markets, retail facilities and other support services.” Similar impetus for area growth and economic development is expected with the construction of International College’s new Fort Myers campus. Located on 15 acres at Winkler Road Extension and Colonial Boulevard, the campus lies at the epicenter of its growing student population. In addition to its original Naples campus, the college now operates from space scattered throughout The Renaissance on College Parkway. Of the college’s 1,500 students, the Fort Myers “campus” serves approximately 700 who live mainly in Lee and Charlotte counties. By the spring of 2005, those classes will relocate to the first phase of the new facility, designed to accommodate approximately 1,200 students. “We really need more economical and efficient space than we have now,” said Terry McMahan, president of International College. “The new campus will provide that. It will also enable us to expand our class offerings and better serve the community. We’re looking forward to moving.” Groundbreaking is expected during the first quarter. When completed, the campus’s first phase will include two three-story buildings totaling approximately 60,000sf. In addition to classrooms and administrative offices, the buildings will house a student center, computer labs, a library and meeting space. Gates McVey’s flexible design allows for additional buildings as needed. “We’ve had a great experience with them,” noted McMahan. “I think they’ve got an excellent staff and we look forward to continuing this project with them.” Other Lee County projects include: - Miromar Outlet Mall. Gates McVey is heading the expansion of the sprawling, open-air retail center. Last year it completed Phase 3 and began work on Phase 4. With the completion of Phase 5, the mall will be almost twice its original size, totaling approximately 750,000sf. - A 40-acre commercial park on the northwest corner of Corkscrew Road and I-75. Now in the design phase, the project is planned to include an eight-story Embassy Suites hotel with approximately 150 rooms, and four office buildings totaling close to 100,000sf. The park’s proximity to the international airport, Florida Gulf Coast University, Miromar Outlets and soon-to-be-built Gulf Coast Town Center should make it a highly desirable development. - A signature building on the southeast corner of Summerlin Road and Cypress Lake Drive for the Ohio-based accounting firm of Hill, Barth & King. Slated for October completion, the two-story structure will contain 18,000sf of office space. Collier County Developments In Collier County, the new year will see a new direction for Gates McVey with the debut of Lemuria, the company’s first exclusively residential project. Located on Goodlette Road in north Naples, the development will feature 72 lakefront coach homes ranging from 1,800-2,500sf, with prices averaging $400,000. According to Gates McVey partner Steve Robison, community amenities will include a clubhouse, pool, nature trails and tennis courts. Robison has an extensive background in multi-family development, including construction and sales of more than 5,000 units of high-rise and garden-style projects in Colorado, Texas, Nevada, California, Arizona and Florida. Robison said he is confident, based on Gates McVey’s extensive research and focus group sessions, that “Lemuria will represent one of the finest, state-of-the-art, residential values in the area.” Additional Collier developments include: - Naples Community Hospital’s Wellness Facility (intersection of Immokalee and Airport roads). When completed, the facility will be the largest of its kind in Collier County, with more than 50,000sf of workout, aerobics and rehabilitation space, as well as an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

- Equestrian Professional Center (entrance to Lely Country Club on U.S. 41 East). Named with Lely’s signature bronze horses in mind, the center, now underway, features five buildings totaling 25,000sf.

- Park East (City of Golden Gate). By this summer, Gates McVey expects buildout of this professional park’s nine office and two retail buildings. To date, eight office buildings of 3,000sf each and one of two planned 15,000sf retail structures have been completed. Besides building numerous banks in Lee and Collier counties for various well-known lending institutions, Gates McVey is always seeking new development and construction opportunities in Southwest Florida.

This year, expect the company’s sights to be set on Charlotte County, where preliminary development plans are being formulated for two sizable projects - one commercial and one residential.
 

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