The Naples, Fla. property was hit by the real estate market collapse, but has returned stronger due to a redesign of one of its two golf courses and amenities being added for residential use
In 2007, TwinEagles in North Naples, Fla. was considered one of the area’s up-and-coming communities, the Naples Daily News reported. But when the real estate market collapsed in late 2008, growth at TwinEagles subsided substantially, and the financial stress created by the market collapse was felt throughout the community.
In 2009, the Daily News reported, the Ronto Group visited the property to assess the possibility of a purchase and turnaround. In September 2010, Ronto finalized its purchase of the community and assumed the role of developer at TwinEagles.
Today, the Daily News reported, TwinEagles is on the verge of being sold out. Out of the community’s original 717 purchase opportunities, fewer than 30 remain available. Since Ronto purchased the community, six neighborhoods have been completely sold, and closed and pending sales contracts worth more than $35 million have been processed since January 1.
Since finalizing its purchase in 2010, the Daily News reported, Ronto pursued an aggressive strategy focused on creating a golf-centric lifestyle within a traditional country club model.
First on Ronto’s agenda, the Daily News reported, was enhancing the caliber of play across both of the community’s golf courses. The Talon course, designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son, hosted the Chubb Classic PGA Champions Tour event for the seventh consecutive year and 12th time overall in February 2018.
For the second course, Ronto worked with golf course architect Steve Smyers to create a challenging historical design with modern yardages.
“We saw a great opportunity to reposition TwinEagles, bring it back to its former glory and refocus it to being a true golfer’s community, instead of just another golf community,” Ronto Executive Vice President Anthony Solomon told the Daily News. “To that end, we created a unique golf membership program. The community has two golf courses and 600 members. We included a golf membership with every newly constructed home sale. That created great value for homeowners, because the membership is attached to the home and transfers.
“By doing this, we assured the long-term viability and success of the club,” Solomon added. “We created a stable operating environment for the golf club that will ultimately be transferred to the owners at no cost at sell-out. That kind of long-term stability is a tremendous benefit that homeowners at TwinEagles greatly appreciate.”
The golf courses provide a tableau for neighborhoods tucked along fairways and lakes that offer vistas and a sense of privacy seldom found in resort communities, the Daily News reported. A 47,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse that pays homage to St. Andrews includes wrap-around verandas that overlook the finishing holes of both courses. Ronto also added a bag-drop area adjacent to the golf pro shop on the lower level of the clubhouse as an additional convenience for members and visiting golfers.
To provide residents with a broader choice of recreational possibilities, the Daily News reported, Ronto designed and built a new amenity center that features a resort-style swimming pool and fitness center. The 2,500-sq.-ft. pool features a large spa, a zero-entry feature, and a sunning deck overlooking a lake. An outdoor Tiki lounge and dining venue, and lighted Har-Tru tennis courts are located adjacent to the pool.
Twin Eagles’ 6,430-sq. ft. fitness center was designed to complement the clubhouse’s architecture, the Daily News reported, with a floor plan that includes men’s and women’s locker rooms, areas for aerobics and yoga, as well as a fitness hall. Ronto also took advantage of TwinEagles’ natural setting and enhanced the walking paths that are available throughout the community, as well as the neighborhood parks and gardens that dot the landscape.
