Q: What is being built behind CVS at the intersection of Airport- Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach Road? —Mary Shreffler Gay, Naples

A: Two outparcel buildings under construction simultaneously on the north and west side of the CVS pharmacy at Airport-Pulling and Vanderbilt Beach roads will have new spaces for restaurants, stores and a variety of additional service concepts at the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, said P.J. Hill, leasing manager for the sprawling retail center in North Naples.

“We’re looking forward to the two new projects being the two next biggest things here,” Hill said.

Building 1100, under construction west of CVS, will be a two-story, 23,148-square-foot building fronting Vanderbilt Beach Road. Its 16 units will range from 1,307 to 1,680 square feet, development plans show. “The end caps will be restaurant capable,” Hill said.

The second new retail opportunity, Building 1000, is being built on the vacant lot north of CVS. That freestanding, single-story, 7,120-square-foot building will have four units ranging from 1,445 to 2,115 square feet.

Both buildings are anticipated for completion in the third quarter of 2025, Hill said.

“Construction is going well. It’s on pace right now,” he said. “We’re still in that preapproval process for the groups interested in secur- ing a location there. Pretty soon we plan to open the door for actual pre-leasing and securing units at the buildings.”

The latest construction project follows the completion last year of the multi-unit Building 900 at the center’s northeast entrance off Airport-Pulling Road. Statement Watches and Jewelry recently marked its first anniversary in that new outparcel. Casanova Art & Fashion, CozyBox Home Decor, Crave Cookies, Emily Brady Interiors and Momo Tea Bar have joined Statement on that corner lot.

‘That was fully leased prior to completion of the building,” Hill said.

The demand was so great for the recently opened building that many businesses from its waiting list are interested in spaces in the new buildings under construction.

‘Some kind of transitioned into this project here—those who haven’t found another location somewhere else that maybe missed out on building 900,’ Hill said. “Here we have a lot more availability. It’s a much larger project. So, we do have a few groups who are looking into this project. They will have frontage there to both Vanderbilt Beach Road and Airport-Pulling Road, so there’s some attraction there. We’d love to see a nice big restaurant concept come in at the end cap fronting Vanderbilt Beach Road, but we’re open to any concept.”

Although the interest is apparent, prospective tenants have not been named yet for either new building.

“We have a number of groups interested. We’re open to any and all concepts at those two buildings. We have everything from retailers to restaurants to service uses all interested in the building there. Time will tell what’s going to be there, but we anticipate an eclectic mix of users that will all be complementary to the center and the businesses we have in here.”

Although 20 units are being built, that doesn’t mean there will be 20 new businesses, because some tenants could combine more than one unit.

‘We’re open to concepts taking a larger footprint. The units as individually intended to be built will range from about 1,300 square feet to 1,600 square feet, but of course, concepts could take more and combine for a larger footprint, if desired.”

More new tenants

Beyond new construction, other changes are in the works at Shoppes at Vanderbilt.

“The center continues to grow,’ Hill said. “It continues to grow even past these two buildings as some exciting ideas for the future, for future development that continue to bring more people to the center and hopefully benefit all the tenants here.”

Perhaps most notable will be the addition of Aufieri & Martinez Steakhouse, coming soon to Suite 200. Most recently home to the short-lived Paradise Golf, that large corner unit on the northern edge of the center has been a longtime restaurant space. Folks may remember it as Havana Blue Cuban Cuisine & Lounge, Salsa Cuban Restaurant & Lounge, French Folies, The Basin and Absinthe restaurants.

‘We did just lease that space. That is going to be an Argentinian steakhouse,” Hill said. “They have some great plans for buildout of that space to really elevate it. I believe they’d like to do an exposed kitchen where you can see the grills, the flames, et cetera.”

This will be the first concept locally for Walter Rolando Aufieri and Daniel Martínez—“a couple of owners that have been in the industry for a number of years,” Hill said. “The primary operator, I believe, (is) out of more of the Fort Lauderdale- Miami area with some successful concepts there. They want to branch into this market here.”

Crazy King Burrito, a Mexican restaurant chain, plans to open soon in Suite 100 on the southwestern edge of the center. Boards and Bubbles charcuterie board venue is expected to open in Suite 120 when it is vacated soon by Angelic Desserts Bakery & Cafe, which is moving next door to a much larger unit that used to be Pei Wei and Nawty Hogg Backyard BBQ. The move allows Angelic Desserts to expand its kitchen, dining area, menu and visibility.

“I think it’s a perfect opportunity for them,’ Hill said. “I feel as if they wanted more space for years, so to be able to move next door to a much more larger space to continue to grow the business, expand the menu, is an awesome opportunity for them. They should be transitioned over, I believe, by Sept. 1. They should be into that new space, but hopefully open by then.”

Meanwhile, the longtime restaurant space that formerly was home to Poached remains vacant.

“We have nobody secured yet,” Hill said. “A variety of different concepts are interested in that space. That space is very attractive for a number of reasons, of course. They have the capability with it being second-gen and the way the architecture is extended there in the center. It’s a prominent space that has had a successful concept there prior. So, we’re open to any and all concepts for that space—of course, ideally concepts that will be complementary to the current mix of tenants we have here. I have a few groups that are strongly interested, so we will see. Hopefully soon we’ll get somebody in there.”

The “Tim Aten Knows” weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at tim. aten@naplespress.com.