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Written By  | timatenknows@floridaweekly.com

A rendering of the Heritage Bay Government Services building planned on the Collier Boulevard extension in North Naples. COURTESY OF COLLIER COUNTY

A rendering of the Heritage Bay Government Services building planned on the Collier Boulevard extension in North Naples. COURTESY OF COLLIER COUNTY

Q: Do you know what is planned for the northeast corner of Immokalee Road and Collier Boulevard behind the CVS and NCH emergency room? — Fred Lewis, Golden Gate Estates

A: Clearing recently began for construction of a new Collier County government center along the east side of Collier Boulevard extension in North Naples.

The first phase of the Heritage Bay Government Center will include a 22,750-square-foot government services building on 7.7 acres the county owns immediately north of NCH Northeast at 15420 Collier Blvd. The county tax collector’s office will have the largest space in the one-story building, but satellite offices also will be provided for the property appraiser, supervisor of elections and select services of the clerk of courts, said Tony Barone, senior project manager for the county’s Division of Facilities Management.

“We are also looking at providing limited permitting services at this location and supporting our transition to electronic permitting like the Immokalee service location,” Mr. Barone said. “Additionally, the facility will include a meeting space that will be useful for in-house training and meetings, elected official town halls, public meetings, etcetera.”

COURTESY OF SAKI JAPANESE KITCHEN

COURTESY OF SAKI JAPANESE KITCHEN

When the new Heritage Bay Government Services building is completed later this year by Kaufman Lynn Construction, the tax collector’s office in Green Tree Center will relocate there, at least five miles east, said Tax Collector Rob Stoneburner, who this month succeeded Larry Ray, who retired after 12 years in office.

“We’re trying to be in and operational for sure by Christmas but it could be as early as Thanksgiving,” Mr. Stoneburner said about the new office in North Naples.

In addition to motor vehicle, boat and driver license registrations, the new full-service office will have an adjacent area for driving tests. Other tax collector services include hunting and fishing licenses, concealed weapon permits and property, business and tourist taxes. Plus, other county services will be available.

Saki Japanese Kitchen in Stock Plaza plans a second location at Naples South Plaza in East Naples.

Saki Japanese Kitchen in Stock Plaza plans a second location at Naples South Plaza in East Naples.

“I’m a big fan of one-stop shops and I know the other constitutional officers are as well,” Mr. Stoneburner said.

Additional phases on that county campus may be built as needed, Mr. Barone said.

“The overall site is master planned to include a potential future EMS, (another) government building and parking garage if it became necessary, but the timing and likelihood of any future phase is currently undetermined,” he said.

Demo kitchen

Q: What are they doing with the building that’s finally being demolished on U.S. 41 and Rattlesnake Hammock between Wells Fargo and Wawa? It’s been a vacant shell for many years. — Karen K., Naples

A: Saki Japanese Kitchen plans a second location this fall in Naples South Plaza’s highly visible outparcel along U.S. 41 East just south of Rattlesnake Hammock Road in East Naples.

Land is being cleared for the Heritage Bay Government Services building on the Collier Boulevard extension in North Naples. TIM ATEN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

Land is being cleared for the Heritage Bay Government Services building on the Collier Boulevard extension in North Naples. TIM ATEN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

The long-vacant freestanding building previously was home to Dollar General before the store moved many years ago to a larger inline space in the retail center. The one-story building was only partially demolished, though, reduced from 8,800 to 3,000 square feet in order to create additional parking for the sit-down restaurant and better visibility for the center. Only the northwestern end of the structure remains at 4903 Tamiami Trail E.

“We had a lot of interest in the building,” said Rick Baer, president of American Commercial Realty, the center’s leasing and management agent. “Saki Japanese Kitchen — a great place with great food — is taking the entire space.”

The new Saki Japanese restaurant will be larger than the original with a full liquor bar and more seafood and sushi, said local restaurateur Chun Guang Zhao, who launched the concept in March 2018 in Stock Plaza at Lely Resort. He also owns a Chinese restaurant, Bamboo Wok, which has operated for many years in the Publix-anchored center at Collier Boulevard and Rattlesnake Hammock Road.

When the Heritage Bay Government Services building is completed this year on the Collier Boulevard extension, the Collier County Tax Collector’s office in Green Tree Center will relocate there. TIM ATEN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

When the Heritage Bay Government Services building is completed this year on the Collier Boulevard extension, the Collier County Tax Collector’s office in Green Tree Center will relocate there. TIM ATEN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

Saki’s outparcel is not the first space in Naples South Plaza to be partially demolished for redevelopment. The eastern leg of the center was torn down in 2019 to make way for a Wawa convenience store and gas station that opened last September.

Working with several different grocers, Mr. Baer predicts that a grocery store will open later this year in the 16,500-square-foot endcap nearest Wawa. Harbor Freight launched next door to it last summer.

Moving into the next phase of the redevelopment, the center will see improvements to its façade, parking lot and landscaping. “It ultimately will be a completely new shopping center,” Baer said.

Filling space

Q: Anyone know what is going up off 41 and Bonita Beach Road? They are building something between the Walgreens and the Wendy’s. — Melissa D., Cape Coral

Aspen Dental is building a Bonita Springs office between Walgreens and Wendy’s on the western side of U.S. 41 just south of Bonita Beach Road. TIM ATEN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

Aspen Dental is building a Bonita Springs office between Walgreens and Wendy’s on the western side of U.S. 41 just south of Bonita Beach Road. TIM ATEN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

A: Aspen Dental is targeted to open a Bonita Springs office in mid-March.

The new, 3,750-square-foot dental office is being built at 28120 S. Tamiami Trail, a 1.5-acre vacant lot between Walgreens pharmacy and Wendy’s drive-thru on the western side of U.S. 41 just south of its busy intersection with Bonita Beach Road.

Aspen Dental, a New York-based dental practice management company, has seven other locations in Lee and Collier counties. ¦