Planned Arthrex Facility Excites Eastern Collier Residents, Leaders
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Published on Tuesday, 21 June 2011 15:52
Fred N. Thomas has seen more than a few plans for industrial development in eastern Collier County in his 25 years in Immokalee - most of them spent as executive director of the Collier County Housing Authority. Now, he's hoping that a manufacturing facility planned by medical device maker Arthrex can provide the spark that leads to further industrial growth in the largely agricultural area.
"We are a no-growth county," Mr. Thomas (right) said. "We have blown too many opportunities in the past to attract high-growth businesses here and we need industry, " he added.
"Arthrex has the potential to attract other industry to this area."
The views expressed by Mr. Thomas, who currently serves as president of the Eastern Collier Chamber of Commerce, reflect those of many other residents and community leaders in Immokalee, Golden Gate Estates and Ave Maria who were interviewed by The Ave Herald about the proposed facility.
Arthrex, which employs more than 1,000 people in Naples, announced in April that it intended to build a $19-million, 160,000-square-foot manufacturing center off Oil Well Rd. in Ave Maria that would employ 150 people when it is fully operational in several years. Twenty-one acres of land for the structure would be donated by Barron Collier. Collier County commissioners are scheduled to vote on the zoning for the project June 28.
"We are excited about the possibility of new, permanent jobs," said Penny Phillippi (left), Executive Director of the Immokalee Community Redevelopment Agency, who also offered to craft a job-training program for Arthrex at the agency's new iTech training facility in Immokalee.
"It would be a huge asset to eastern Collier County," she said.
Wendy Tomac, who has lived in Golden Gate Estates with her husband and two children for 12 years, agreed. "There are an awful lot of people who would love to work some place closer to the Estates," she said. "It would be great for the community."
Another long-time resident of the Estates, Russell Budd, said he saw great potential in the project for the entire area.
Many families in the area would welcome the development, said Mr. Budd, a former member of the Collier County Planning Commission.
"Everyone I know and have talked to is in favor of this," he said.
"If the vision proposed by Arthrex is fulfilled, I think that this cannot be anything but a beneficial asset to our community," said Ave Maria resident Warren Mass, reflecting the opinion of other residents contacted by The Ave Herald.
"These first four years at Ave Maria have been difficult ones for many of our friends and neighbors," added Mr. Mass, a resident of Emerson Park.
" As far as I am concerned, this is good news for our town."
"Arthrex is a much better bargain for the taxpayers than some other development proposals," said Robb Klucik, an attorney whose offices are in the Ave Maria town center.
"Of course, as a local business owner I am excited to have a high quality business come to town," Mr. Klucik said. "We welcome them."
