Naples neighbors show up in full force to fight Allura Apartment Project

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Photo of Stock Development design drawings of Allura complex adjacent to residential homes – Photo shared with WINK News.

Neighbors showed up in full force at the commissioners meeting Tuesday, dressed in red to protest a new apartment complex in north Naples.

Their goal is to stop the proposed Allura Apartment Project. Why? They say it’s about public safety and security, threatened by too much traffic.

“I don’t see how the emergency responders and the fire station could possibly meet the needs of the communities during that period and this project is only going to add to that project density,” said Mark Roos, who lives in Naples.

Speaker after speaker asked the commissioners to vote no; to once and for all end plans for the 300-plus apartments near the intersection of Livingston and Veterans Memorial Boulevard.

“The magnitude of the development is more than I believe can be handled there,” said neighbor Bob Aufdenkampe.

Developers argue they’ve done traffic studies and there are ways to reduce congestion. Just as important, this complex will help with affordable workforce housing. That’s music to the ears of Naples Community Hospital leadership.

“We struggle with housing for our nurses, our residents, our health care professionals…a good chunk of our employees live in Lee County because they can’t afford to live in Collier County,” said NCH Chief of Operations Officer Phil Dutcher.

Developers say they’d also have landscape buffers to reduce noise concerns.

The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce and Collier County’s growth management staff also support the project.

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