adam.regan

GiGi’s Ice Cream shop opened in January at 311 W. Marion Ave. in downtown Punta Gorda and since has built a strong local following.

Country House Restaurant launched a new location May 23 at 11985 Collier Blvd. on the eastern edge of Golden Gate.

In addition to the five-story hotel at 300 W. Retta Esplanade, there is a two-story addition, which shares a common wall with the now-closed Hurricane Charley’s Sushi, Raw Bar & Grill. 

The Lima, Ohio-based franchise with about 100 locations added the first three in Florida over the past two years. All of them are in Cape Coral and co-owned by Horstman and Barry Goettemoeller. 

Punta Gorda Planning Commission approved final plat plans for two subdivisions near Jones Loop Road that will bring 368 new homes to the area. 

The money comes from the federal government’s Department of Housing and Urban Development. Lee County commissioners voted 5-0 in allocating the money, part of a $1.1 billion Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery fund. 

Poached soon is going to be toast—as in defunct. The local breakfast-lunch restaurant is permanently closing next week in Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt in North Naples.  

Environmental Science Associates conducted an exploratory study and met with landowners interested in selling land. ESA whittled that to a list of four sites for a general airport.

Shelton Weeks, Lucas professor of real estate and director of the Lucas Institute for Real Estate Development and Finance, is asked a lot by students whether they should rent or buy. 

The proposed project hit a milestone in February when the Trust for Public Land secured a purchase and sale agreement for $82 million with the Seminole Gulf Railway on a 14.9-mile segment stretching from Alico Road to Collier County for conversion to a hiking and biking trail.