Alico Plans 9,000-Home Development on Former Citrus Land in Southwest Florida
Alico Inc., based in Fort Myers, wants to build two new communities in Collier County. Their plans show 9,000 homes spread across 3,000 acres. Split into east and west sections,…
Aerial view of Florida farmlands with rows of orange grove trees growing on a sunny day.
Alico Inc., based in Fort Myers, wants to build two new communities in Collier County. Their plans show 9,000 homes spread across 3,000 acres.
Split into east and west sections, each 1,500-acre site would hold 4,500 homes. The plan sets aside a vast stretch of 6,000 acres as untouched natural space.
If permits come through as planned, workers could start building in 2028. But first, the project must get the green light from city, state, and federal officials.
A new bill, put forward in February 2025, seeks approval from state officials and Gov. Ron DeSantis by June for the "Corkscrew Grove Stewardship District." This fits into Collier County's plan to mix building with nature protection.
This marks just the start for Alico's big five-year building push. They've got their sights set on three more spots across Florida:
- Bonnet Lake in Highlands County.
- Saddlebag Grove in Polk County.
- Plant World in Hendry County.
Currently, Alico has two main operations — growing citrus fruits and managing land. They'll stop growing citrus after next year's harvest for various reasons.
