Florida Construction News staff writer
Construction officially began this week on Ekos Creekside, a 160-unit affordable senior housing community in East Naples. The seven-story multifamily development will be located along Collier Boulevard near Henderson Creek and the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Site work for the 7.43-acre property started last fall, including demolition of two single-family structures and clearing of trees. The March 4 groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of vertical construction.The project is a partnership between McDowell Housing Partners, a Miami-based developer and investor in affordable housing, and DeAngelis Diamond, a Naples-based construction company serving as the general contractor. The building will be constructed to National Green Building Standards to help reduce utility costs.
Amenities will include a clubhouse with a fitness center, a business center, a multipurpose clubroom, an outdoor swimming pool, and barbecue and recreation areas overlooking Henderson Creek. The community will have entrances from both Collier Boulevard and Henderson Creek Drive.
Ekos Creekside is the fourth affordable housing project in Naples developed by McDowell Housing Partners and the first in the county approved to use infrastructure surtax dollars to support affordable housing. The county acquired the property in November 2024 for $3.75 million.
