April 9, 2025 – In Southwest Florida, the Ave Maria community is announcing the latest important milestone along the arc of its continuing journey. Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) is collaborating with Barron Collier Companies (BCC) to bring first-rate healthcare to Ave Maria and eastern Collier County.
As eastern Collier County continues to grow, the collaboration between NCH and BCC will bring a 6,000 square-foot immediate care clinic to Midtown Plaza in Ave Maria to fill in the gap in healthcare services in the eastern portion of the County. The location will be staffed by board-certified emergency physicians, physician assistants and nurses and will provide treatment for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
“Together, we’ve reached a remarkable milestone that reflects both of our organizations commitment to prioritizing health and wellness for the residents of Ave Maria and eastern Collier County,” said Blake Gable, BCC Chief Executive Officer. “We welcome NCH and their medical professionals to the community and look forward to continuing to enhance the healthcare options within the town.”
Few community assets have the power to enhance quality of life like comprehensive and convenient medical facilities. While Ave Maria offers fitness and recreation amenities for its residents, nearby access to a variety of medical professionals has remained one of the final pieces of the puzzle until now.
“This is one of the fastest growing areas in the state of Florida – not just in Southwest Florida,” said Jonathan Kling, NCH Chief Operating Officer. “The number of families moving in every year and the distance from healthcare makes this something that is really a need for our community. Having access to quality healthcare nearby is what this community deserves and we’re happy to be a part of it.”
The office building will have space for specialists in areas such as cardiology, orthopedics and sports medicine who will visit the office on a rotating basis, so residents don’t need to travel to Naples.
“It’s exciting for our community to have this major healthcare system committed to Ave Maria and eastern Collier County to meet the growing demands of healthcare throughout the county,” said Cee Cee Marinelli, BCC VP of Commercial Real Estate.
The future is rife with plans as the big picture of healthcare in the region continues to move into focus. After the physician offices and immediate care clinic are established, NCH plans to open and operate a 24-hour freestanding emergency room facility (FSED) modeled after their two existing FSEDs in Northeast Collier and Bonita Springs. Once this phase of development is complete, the location near the main entrance to Ave Maria will offer emergency services for conditions such as broken bones, heart attack, stroke, severe burns, severe allergic reaction and more.
The timeline for implementing this infusion of healthcare to the region is fairly ambitious. The immediate care facility is expected to open in just a few weeks.
“This is going to be urgent care that will see walk-ins from cuts, sprained ankles and fractures to low-level acute care,” Kling said. “NCH is a community pilar and focused on caring for our community. This new healthcare asset will increase access for our neighbors.”
The Ave Maria lifestyle is sometimes referred to as “living in A Big Kind of Small Town,” which is about offering a lifestyle replete with big conveniences and small treasures. It’s a philosophy that promises residents shouldn’t have to make sacrifices in terms of choices or convenience. Keeping essential goods and services a golf cart ride away from the front door is a comforting way to maintain household harmony and physical and mental wellness.
ABOUT NCH
NCH (Naples Comprehensive Health) is an Advanced Community Healthcare System™ serving Southwest Florida with premier routine, critical, and specialty care. NCH, a locally governed non-profit, is recognized as one of Healthgrades America’s Top 100 Hospitals which puts it in the top 2% in the nation for clinical excellence, in addition to being named a Top 50 Hospital for Surgical Care. The system is more than just two hospitals (referred to as the NCH Baker Hospital and NCH North Hospital) with a total of 713 beds – NCH is an alliance of over 750 physicians and medical facilities in dozens of locations throughout Southwest Florida and is the region’s only Joint Commission accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center. NCH cardiac care is ranked top-3 in the state by Healthgrades. NCH collaborates with the Hospital for Special Surgery for orthopedics, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for pediatrics, and ProScan Imaging for radiology services, ensuring top-tier medical care is available in Southwest Florida. With the largest provider network, urgent/immediate care centers, diagnostic facilities, and two hospitals, NCH is always advancing the quality of care near you. For more information, visit www.NCHmd.org.
ABOUT BARRON COLLIER COMPANIES
Barron Collier Companies is one of the largest diversified companies in Florida dedicated to the responsible development, management, and stewardship of numerous landholdings. Led by the Collier family, with roots tracing back one hundred years to Collier County, founder Barron G. Collier, Barron Collier Companies pursues its vision for Southwest Florida with successful enterprises in several areas including agriculture, land development and mineral management. For more information, visit www.barroncollier.com or call 239-262-2600.
