Arthrex closes on Ave Maria land to build new manufacturing plant

AVE MARIA — Barron Collier Cos. has completed a land transfer to Arthrex Inc. in Ave Maria and now contractors hoping for a piece of the medical device manufacturer’s building project are waiting.

“The design drawings are a couple of weeks away from being complete,” said Scott Price, Arthrex vice president. “Closing on the land is the first important step and we are in the design phase. We haven’t picked a builder yet.”

Barron Collier, developers of the Ave Maria community in eastern Collier County, transferred ownership of 21 acres, at no cost, to Arthrex to build a manufacturing plant. The land is part of a 50-acre site on Oil Well Road designated for commercial development.

Blake Gable, vice president of Barron Collier, declined to discuss what else could be developed at the site, saying that instead Barron Collier’s focus is to work with Arthrex on its project.

“We are thrilled Arthrex is staying and expanding in Collier County and we are doing everything we can to help them be successful,” Gable said.

Arthrex, which specializes in orthopedic surgical devices and implants, intends to build a 160,000-square-foot manufacturing plant. An early construction cost estimate is $28 million, which will bring a much-needed boost to the stagnant construction market in Collier, especially in the eastern region.

“We hope to commence construction by the end of the year or beginning of 2012,” Price said.

The manufacturing plant is expected to employ 150 people with wages around $46,000 a year, according to Arthrex’s application this past summer to the county for $2.2 million in economic development incentives.

The incentives apply to the Ave Maria project and a future expansion at the company’s main campus on Creekside Boulevard in North Naples, which will add another 450 new jobs.

In Lee County, Arthrex is scheduled to close Sept. 19 on the purchase of a 240,000-square-foot warehouse at 14550 Plantation Road off Daniels Parkway.

The purchase price for the building, owned by Robb & Stucky, is $12.5 million, Price said.

He couldn’t say how many jobs would be created with that project.

The building needs some remodeling to be used by Arthrex as a distribution center, he said. Robb & Stucky, which declared bankruptcy earlier this year, used the building as a furniture storage center.

Price said remodeling will take about three months.