Ave Maria, Fla. — Barron Collier Companies has announced its donation of 18 acres of land to Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) for the development of a 150-bed hospital in Ave Maria. This is a major step toward expanding health care services for the growing communities in eastern Collier County.
The donated property is located near the Arthrex manufacturing plant on the north side of Oil Well Road and will serve as the location for this hospital. This donation by Barron Collier Companies, the developer of Ave Maria, is made to support NCH’s plan to meet the health care needs of the people residing in this area. The move shows the shared commitment of both of these organizations to the continued growth of Ave Maria.
“I have tremendous respect and appreciation for what the leadership at NCH has done and is doing,” said Blake Gable, Chief Executive Officer of Barron Collier Companies, who is also a member of the NCH board of trustees.
Addressing a Growing Community’s Needs
The new hospital will play a vital role in meeting the increasing health care demands of Ave Maria and neighboring communities, which have experienced significant growth in population in recent years. According to Barron Collier Companies’ estimates, approximately 20,000 people live in the town currently, which includes the 1,500 students of Ave Maria University.
The national real estate consulting firm, RCLCO, has recognized Ave Maria as the 18th top-selling master-planned community in the United States. Due to this population influx, nearby developments like the town of Big Cypress and Brightshore are expected to build thousands of residential units in the coming years.
Collier County Commissioner Bill McDaniel said, “We are really excited about it. Having the medical infrastructure is important.”
NCH’s Four-Phase Development Plan
For this region, NCH has developed a four-phase plan, which started with the opening of an Immediate Care Center in Ave Maria’s Midtown Plaza in May 2025. The center provides walk-in urgent care for extended hours throughout the week.
In the first phase, a 25,000-square-foot freestanding emergency room will be built, along with medical offices and imaging services, on the Oil Well Road site donated by Barron Collier Companies. The construction is expected to begin in May 2027 and be completed by November 2028, making the ER operational.
The second phase will include the construction of an 89,000-square-foot surgery center and additional medical offices. In the third phase, set to start in 2032, a four-story patient tower with 75 inpatient beds will be built. The building space will be about 214,000 square feet and it’s expected that the completion of this phase will take 18 months to 2 years. The fourth phase will start in 2035 and will involve adding 75 extra beds in the patient tower.
This partnership between Barron Collier Companies and NCH reflects their shared commitment to building the essential community infrastructure and supporting the continued growth and quality of life in eastern Collier County.