North Naples is getting another Publix as one of the area’s established retail centers undergoes a significant redevelopment.

Construction is now underway on a new Publix Super Market at Gateway Shoppes at North Bay, located near the northwest corner of U.S. 41 and Wiggins Pass Road.

The project will give Publix its 23rd location in Collier County while providing a new grocery anchor for an increasingly valuable North Naples commercial corridor.

Publix Anchors Gateway Shoppes Redevelopment

The new Publix is part of a larger redevelopment of Gateway Shoppes by Benderson Development, one of Florida’s largest privately held commercial real estate companies.

Unlike some of Publix’s recent projects that replace older stores, the North Naples location is entirely new construction.

Benderson has described the project as a major redevelopment that will introduce a refreshed mix of retail and dining options to the property.

Construction was visibly progressing in August, with the first portions of the new building beginning to take shape.

An official opening date has not been announced. Publix typically waits until closer to completion before confirming grand-opening dates.

A Strong North Naples Retail Location

Gateway Shoppes sits at one of North Naples’ important commercial intersections.

The center has frontage along U.S. 41 near Wiggins Pass Road and Old 41 Road, providing access to established North Naples neighborhoods as well as continued residential development nearby.

Commercial marketing for the property identifies more than 266,000 residents within 10 miles and an average household income of approximately $173,000 within the same radius.

More than 1,100 new luxury apartments are also expected in the surrounding market.

That combination of population, household income and residential growth makes the corridor attractive for grocery, restaurant and service-oriented retail.

Publix can further strengthen that position.

Grocery Stores Remain Powerful Retail Anchors

While traditional shopping centers continue adapting to changing consumer behavior, grocery-anchored retail remains one of the strongest segments of commercial real estate.

Consumers may purchase clothing or electronics online, but grocery stores continue generating frequent physical trips.

Those visits create traffic for surrounding restaurants, service businesses and retailers.

Adding Publix therefore has the potential to do more than fill space at Gateway Shoppes. It can reposition the entire property around a high-frequency anchor capable of generating consistent weekly traffic.

For surrounding tenants and future outparcel users, that traffic can be particularly valuable.

Publix Continues Investing in Southwest Florida

The North Naples project also reflects Publix’s continued investment throughout Southwest Florida.

The company already operates 22 stores in Collier County and 38 in Lee County, according to figures reported in July.

Publix recently reopened a completely rebuilt store at Neapolitan Way Shopping Center in Naples, while additional stores are planned elsewhere in Southwest Florida, including a second location at Babcock Ranch.

That expansion follows continued population and residential growth throughout Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties.

Redevelopment Instead of Greenfield Growth

Gateway Shoppes also illustrates another important trend in Florida commercial real estate.

Not all growth requires building another shopping center on vacant land.

In established and affluent markets such as North Naples, some of the best opportunities can come from redeveloping existing commercial properties.

Older shopping centers already have valuable characteristics: established traffic patterns, major-road frontage, utilities, surrounding population and consumer familiarity.

Introducing a strong new anchor can allow developers to reposition those properties for another generation.

That’s what makes the Gateway Shoppes project noteworthy.

The new Publix isn’t simply adding another supermarket to Collier County. It is becoming the centerpiece of a larger investment in an established U.S. 41 retail property.

As construction moves forward, Gateway Shoppes could emerge as another example of how grocery anchors and redevelopment are reshaping mature commercial corridors across Florida.

ExtendedReach USA covers commercial real estate, development, infrastructure and economic growth throughout Florida and the Southeast.