The 239 Weekly: August 14-20, 2026
Hi, it's Jeremy. Bonita Springs voters just said yes to a $35 million rail trail, downtown Naples is about to get six new luxury condo projects, and the 30-year mortgage rate ticked down for a second straight week. Whether you're watching the market from Naples or Bonita and Estero, there's a lot happening in the 239 this week that has nothing to do with real estate too, so grab your coffee and let's get into it.
⚡ The 239 in 60 Seconds
🗳️ Bonita Springs voters approved a $35 million bond for the Bonita-Estero Rail Trail by a 68% to 32% margin.
🏗️ Six new luxury condo projects are reshaping the blocks around Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples, adding 214 residences and a hotel.
💰 The 30-year mortgage rate dipped to 6.65% this week, its second straight weekly decline. [Source: Freddie Mac PMMS]
🎓 Collier County Public Schools opened three new campuses this month, including Mason Classical Academy's new 108,000-square-foot North Naples building.
💡 Collier County is finally updating its rules for data centers because the current zoning language on the books dates all the way back to 1987.
New Around the 239
🍝 Family dispute forces new North Naples Italian restaurant to change its name weeks after opening → [Source: Gulfshore Business, via Tim Aten]
🍕 Aurelio's Pizza closes its Naples and Estero locations, leaving the Chicago chain without a Florida spot → [Source: Gulfshore Business]
🎤 Former Bonita Springs event venue converting into a cabaret lounge → [Source: Gulfshore Business]
The 239 Market
Biggest sales this week:
🏢 Cardone Capital pays $89.75 million for the 282-unit Orchid Run apartment complex in Collier County → [Source: Gulfshore Business]
Market snapshot:
Naples' market stayed a buyer-friendly, not-very-competitive market in the latest data, while Bonita Springs looked even softer.
Naples/Collier: median sale price $1,449,211 in June 2026, up 3.5% year-over-year; median days on market fell to 95 (from 101 a year ago). [Source: Redfin]
Bonita Springs/Lee: Redfin's Compete Score puts it at 16/100 (not very competitive); homes there are selling for about 5% below list price and averaging roughly 83 days on market. [Source: Redfin] (A separate market-tracker estimate put Bonita's median list price near $649K with the median sale price down about 7% year-over-year to $565K; we're flagging the gap between sources rather than picking one.)
A broader FGCU report notes Southwest Florida housing activity is cooling after its 2022 peak, with listings and building permits both declining, though the report doesn't break out Collier- and Lee-only figures separately. [Source: Gulfshore Business]
NABOR releases its next official Naples market report today, Friday, Aug. 21; we'll fold July's numbers into the next issue.
Jeremy's Take: A $89.75 million apartment deal and a $34 million land buy in the same week tell you institutional money isn't sitting on the sidelines here, even while days-on-market data shows buyers have more room to negotiate than they did a couple years ago. Bonita's numbers are softer than Naples' right now, which is worth watching if you're weighing timing on either side of the county line. It'll be interesting to see whether NABOR's fresh report out today confirms that gap or narrows it.
30-year mortgage rate: 30-year fixed: 6.65%, down from 6.67% last week, vs. 6.58% a year ago. [Source: Freddie Mac PMMS]
Curious What’s Selling Near You?
See What's Happening in Your Neighborhood:
This Week in Naples & Bonita Springs
📍 239 New Development Spotlight
This issue we're spotlighting Twenty Twenty Gulfshore, one of the most exclusive new-construction offerings in Naples right now: a boutique collection of luxury condominiums on Gulf Shore Boulevard North, positioned between the Gulf of Mexico and Moorings Bay. The development spans two buildings. The West Building offers 3-bedroom-plus-study residences from 3,754 to 3,775 square feet with Gulf views, starting at $7,900,000. The East Building offers 2- and 3-bedroom layouts from 2,320 to 2,589 square feet overlooking the private marina and Moorings Bay, starting at $4,625,000. Amenities include 11 private boat slips with direct Gulf access through Doctor's Pass, a harbor-level resort pool, rooftop terraces on both buildings, and interiors designed by the Soucie Horner Design Collective. Beach access sits directly across Gulf Shore Boulevard, with downtown Naples and Fifth Avenue South about 3-5 minutes away. Since this is new construction, remember that using your own buyer's agent costs you nothing extra and protects your interests, since the on-site sales team represents the developer, not you.
Good to Know
🚧 Southbound I-75 at S.R. 951/Collier Boulevard remains under construction for interchange improvements, with intermittent nighttime lane and ramp closures continuing through the project's expected completion at the end of 2026. [Source: SWFLRoads/FDOT]
🚧 The I-75 at Pine Ridge Road interchange rebuild (converting it to a diverging diamond design) continues to bring nightly lane closures from 7 p.m.-7 a.m. and ramp closures from 8 p.m.-6 a.m., with completion expected mid-2027. [Source: SWFLRoads/FDOT]
🎒 Collier County Public Schools has an early dismissal on Wednesday, Aug. 26, for teacher professional learning. [Source: Collier County Public Schools calendar]
🔧 Home Tip of the Week
We're in the thick of peak hurricane season, so this is a good week to double-check your readiness rather than assume last year's prep still covers you.
Review your homeowners and flood insurance policies now, before renewal time sneaks up on you, and confirm you understand any waiting periods on new or increased flood coverage.
If you haven't had trees trimmed away from your roofline and power lines this season, get it scheduled before the next system starts spinning up.
Map out your evacuation route and a backup, since road closures or bridge work (see Good to Know above) can change your usual path with little notice.
Do a quick generator and fuel-storage check if you have one, and make sure it's actually in working order, not just present in the garage.
As always, check with your insurance agent or a licensed contractor for specifics on your policy or property.
☀️ Weekend Weather
Saturday: High near 91°F, mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and storms before 2 p.m. Sunday: High near 91°F, mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and storms after 2 p.m. [Source: National Weather Service, Miami-South Florida, issued 7:47 a.m. EDT Aug. 20, 2026]
📅 5 Things to Do This Week
🦋 Gardening for Butterflies and Pollinators Workshop (FREE): Saturday, Aug. 22, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Bonita Springs.
📷 Essentials of Digital Photography Workshop: Saturday, Aug. 22, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Rookery Bay, $55, registration at rookerybay.org/events.
🎨 New Ways of Seeing: American Modernism from a Private Collection: ongoing exhibit at Naples Art Institute; read the Florida Weekly review for a preview.
🎷 Naples Jazzmasters Dixieland/Swing Band: Saturday, Aug. 22, 1-3 p.m., Norris Community Center, donations appreciated. [Source: City of Naples calendar]
🏺 The Passion of Collecting: Stories in Glass and Ceramics from the Sibrack Collection: ongoing exhibit at The Baker Museum, Artis-Naples.
👀 What We're Watching
Play For A Cause: Bonita Springs YMCA Charity Golf Tournament, Friday, Sept. 25, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. [Source: Florida Weekly]
First Friday Art Walk Wine and Cheese at Fort Myers Beach Art Association, Saturday, Sept. 5, 4-6 p.m. [Source: Florida Weekly]
NABOR releases its next official Naples market report today, Friday, Aug. 21. By the time you're reading this, fresh July numbers should already be live, and we'll break down what they show for both Collier and Lee in next issue's Market section.
Open House This Weekend
28851 Bermuda Lago Ct #304, Bonita Springs | $329,000 | 2 Bed / 2 Bath | MLS 226013581
A rarely available, turnkey furnished top-floor end unit featuring the sought-after Nassau floor plan in the gated Bermuda Lago community, west of US-41 and close to Bonita Beach. Open House 08/23/26 - 2:00-4:00PM
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Have a great weekend!
Jeremy
