Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Downtown's $202M bet just went vertical
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Ninety and thick today, with a heat advisory until 7 p.m. and only a slight chance an afternoon storm bails us out. While we sweat through locals' season, downtown's biggest project quietly locked in $202 million and started building skyward.
Today
Heat advisory today — and respect the Gulf
The heat advisory for coastal Collier runs until 7 p.m., and days of steady breeze have the Gulf churned up — high rip current risk at every beach and rough boating through midweek. Small consolation: FWC's latest samples show red tide all-clear from Barefoot Beach to Marco, so it's the surf, not the water, to watch today.
Local News
The Avenue lands $202 million, starts building up
Locals' season is when the big deals quietly close: the downtown mixed-use project now has financing in hand and vertical construction underway, with 50 condos and 75,000 square feet of shops and restaurants slated for 2027. That's a new center of gravity forming a short walk from Fifth Avenue South.
A flyover is coming to Immokalee Road
The county approved a $7.59 million design contract to carry Livingston Road over Immokalee — anyone who's idled through that intersection in season knows exactly why. Construction waits until the I-75 diverging diamond is done, so file it under relief coming, eventually.
Our summer housing market isn't acting sleepy
881 closings in June, up 16.5% over last year — genuinely busy for the months when half the driveways empty out. If you've been waiting for sellers to blink, this isn't that sign.
Collier schools stare down a $42 million gap
The district projects a $42 million shortfall for next school year even after earning its ninth straight A rating from the state. Budget hearings are where this gets settled — worth watching if you've got kids in Collier classrooms.
Fleet Feet bets on North Naples runners
The specialty retailer is opening with personalized shoe fittings, group runs and events rather than just racks of shoes. A bet that our dawn-patrol running crowd — the only sane hour for it at these temperatures — wants a home base.
Food & Drink
Michelbob's ribs are coming north
The longtime rib institution is opening an 80-seat spot at 14700 Tamiami Trail N. this summer — sparing North Naples the pilgrimage to the East Naples original. Championship-ribs bragging rights, now on our end of 41.
Sizzle Dining sets a record before it even starts
More restaurants than ever — topping last year's 127 — have signed on for the September prix-fixe event, with $1 from every meal going to Blessings in a Backpack. Pencil it in as the bridge between summer specials and season.