Naples, Florida: unfavorable changes, 2005, Leeza Arkhanngelskaya
From MemoryArchive
Who: Leeza Arkhangelskaya What: Naples, Florida: unfavorable changes When: 2005 Where: Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida is a place I like to call home. However, with every passing day, it is losing its old charm. When I first moved here from Washington DC in 2001, Naples was a small resort city characterized by manicured streets, white beaches, and vibrant local culture, especially in the field of arts. My mother opened an art gallery in the area offering an array of prospering “ma and pa” type dining, shopping opportunities and art galleries.
At the same time, due to the year round sub-tropical weather conditions and leisurely entertainment opportunities, such as such as golfing, yachting, dining, and numerous cultural attractions, Naples began to experience a remarkable construction boom. Large-scale developers and construction firms began capitalizing on continuously growing interest in real estate and investment opportunities in residential construction. Naples and all of Collier County became the second fastest growing area currently in the US, after Las Vegas, and in 2002 Naples’ wealth per capita reached $120,000.
The gold rush to South West Florida and especially Naples has a tremendous negative impact on local businesses and culture on which Naples’ reputation and prestige were founded. The influx of multinational corporations is killing thriving local restaurants, craft shops, and art galleries which cannot compete with the billion dollar enterprises. On the one hand, it can be argued that such is the natural procession of events: the affordable Wal-Marts will replace the less efficient “ma and pa” shops. On the other hand, this is not quite that case with local businesses in Naples. For example, my parents started an art gallery here four years ago and achieved tremendous success. For the last two years, the Gallery on Fifth was voted best art gallery in South West Florida. Furthermore, art galleries such as my mother’s may be small and local, but their fame reaches far beyond South West Florida. The Gallery on Fifth has clients from all over the world including Japan, Europe and Canada. Among other similar galleries, the Gallery on Fifth is a community landmark and treasure.
People know and respect these businesses. Coming from Geneva or Tokyo, these people have no desire to shop at Neiman Marcus or drink Starbucks coffee, but they come to enjoy the unique attractions on which the Naples’ cultural foundation has been built. My mother displays art from Eastern Europe and Asia, which is unusual for the area. Those employed in the galleries communicate across lines of difference, by educating a multitude of foreign and American visitors who come to enjoy the arts. Similarly, the craft stores and multi-cultural restaurants offer entertainment as well as a lesson in varied cultures. Among other similar establishments, my mother’s gallery is service, not profit oriented as it has always been involved in enriching the community, fund raising for charities, and community services, such as reading of educational lectures.
The issue at hand is that a multitude of institutions fueled by self interest, specifically the interest in money not community are working against local enterprises. Small businesses unlike big business can only afford small overhead, or the costs of conducting business. One of the major expenses for small businesses is the payment of rent. Big construction companies are buying buildings for large sums of money, remodeling them and offering rental spaces at around triple the previous amount. They deny the rental opportunities to local businesses in favor of national companies which on top of being able to pay the higher rent also pay the new building owners 6 or 7 percent from their sales. By raising rent prices, the developers are consequently pushing out these small enterprises. Small business owners, as middle class residents and contributors to Naples’ local culture believe that their enterprises are vital to preserving the unique Naples atmosphere.
Unfortunately, my family falls into this group of people. Our gallery, like most Naples art galleries is situated in the historic district – the only pedestrian area in the county, and the only logical location for art galleries. The business is thriving and profitable only because the current rent is 40 percent of the average rent of the new constructed buildings in the area. There are very few of these old balding left, and recently, our building was sold to make room for a new Gap. That means that the Gallery on Fifth, together with ten other businesses will have to leave, not only the building but the downtown area, since no other places are available.
It is even more upsetting that the Collier County government is an institution that is reinforcing stratificational barriers and helping destroy local culture. The situation reminds me of an article I read in the New York Times titled, “There Goes the Old Neighborhood, to Revitalization.” In the article the constructors and the government both believe that revitalization and the removal of low income areas is crucial for the future benefit of the community. In Naples, however the owners of the construction companies are also the heads of the local government or city development councils. They make their own agenda the city’s agenda, which no one can refute. It is in the self interest of these powerful individuals to replace the middle class, with the ultra rich retirees and large business corporations, who contribute money directly into the builders’ pockets.
However, there are troubles for the large corporations, city developers, and for all of Naples in the future if changes are not made now. In about fifteen years, the baby boomers who are now populating the city and feeding its economy will pass away. The large corporations will no longer have a large and wealthy clientele base, and workers as well as businesses will flee the area. Proper infrastructure, such as research centers need to be built that can employ people and provide services for the whole population. Furthermore, justice towards the small businesses needs to be restored. The government needs to realize that Naples will become unattractive to visitors without its local culture.
