Alico, Inc., which in January announced it will cease citrus operations after this season, declared plans to develop two villages in Collier County. The company reported it is filing a development application for the first of the two villages, Corkscrew Grove East Village. The development ultimately will be a 3,000-acre master-planned community in northwest Collier County.
“There will be an additional 6,000 acres of land in Collier County that Alico will set aside for permanent conservation,” the company stated. “The development plan envisions two distinct 1,500-acre mixed-use villages, known as Corkscrew Grove East Village and Corkscrew Grove West Village.”
The development will create a new residential and commercial hub near the intersection of Collier, Lee and Hendry counties. Construction is expected to commence following completion of all required permits by 2028 or 2029.
“The Corkscrew Grove Villages represent a key component of Alico’s strategy to monetize four strategic assets in four separate counties totaling approximately 5,500 acres, or 10% of its land holdings, within the next five years through higher-value development opportunities,” the company reported. “Management estimates the total value of these 5,500 acres of near-term developable land could be approximately $335 to $380 million.” It listed the four assets as:
- Corkscrew Grove Villages in Collier County
- Bonnet Lake in Highlands County
- Saddlebag Grove in Polk County
- Plant World (LaBelle) in Hendry County
“When we announced our strategic transformation in January 2025, we committed to repositioning Alico’s extensive land holdings to create greater shareholder value,” said Alico President and Chief Executive Officer John Kiernan. “Today’s application, following two years of careful planning and stakeholder engagement, demonstrates we are executing on that vision.”
The Corkscrew Grove Villages are designed to implement the goals of Collier County’s Rural Lands Stewardship Area (RLSA) program by clustering development to maximize preservation of environmental resources. The RLSA is a planning and zoning overlay approved by Collier County in 2002 for approximately 185,000 acres of land in eastern Collier County. Alico stated it has been a long-term partner with Collier County in this program and believes the Corkscrew Grove Villages will align with the program framework.
See a Corkscrew Grove Villages project overview here. In the overview, Alico states it is ceasing citrus operations because it has faced increased financial challenges from citrus greening disease and other environmental factors, such as significant hurricane damage, for many seasons.
Source: Alico, Inc.
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