PORT ROYAL - A TREASURE OF WATERFRONT ESTATE HOMES IN NAPLES
Posted On 2006-08-18 , 11:18 AM
“It’s better to be a pirate than to join the Navy.”
- Steve Jobs 
John Glen Sample had a dream. An advertising magnate, entrepreneur and developer, Sample set a somewhat lofty goal regarding his exclusive Port Royal development in Naples, Florida. “My ambition,” he told the press, “is to make Port Royal the finest place in the world to live.”
From the late 1930's until 1950, Sample acquired approximately two square miles of what was then pristine beachfront property and wild swamplands. Through extensive dredging, a series of man-made peninsulas– “fingers”– were created. Deep water canals were established, leading  directly to the Gulf of Mexico from Naples Bay through Gordon Pass. Stretching out along the peninsulas are now streets, where lots on each side contain water frontage along the coves, intercoastal waterways, and bays. The beachfront properties are located on Gordon Drive. Elegant luxury homes were built over time, all under the watchful eye of Sample – who reportedly named the development based upon his captivation with the 17th Century pirates who often pulled their treasure-laden ships into what was then the raucous, notorious town of Port Royal in  Jamaica. Mr. Sample was very zealous in protecting his vision for Port Royal. To ensure architectural and aesthetic excellence, Sample, through deed restrictions, covenants and binding contractual provisions, retained control (until his passing in 1971) of the architects authorized to design homes for the neighborhood, and actual home design. Power over architectural and design control still exists, and vests with the Port Royal Property Owners Association.
Did John Glen Sample realize his dream? Today, Port Royal is one of a handful of preferred neighborhoods chosen by America’s elite to retire to, or winter in. The allure of this refined setting is immediately recognized: the gracious estate homes, the dramatic waterfront views, the tropical setting, fastidiously manicured landscaping, docks and  impressive yachts in seemingly every backyard, and the sugar-sand, world class beach – which is just a walk or bike ride away. Driving through this neighborhood, the pulse quickens, even to the jaded. There is much more to Port Royal than meets the eye, however, and identifying the source of the charisma of this peerless community lies beyond its coveted real estate and exceptional amenities. The distinguished, cultured, and highly successful residents of Port Royal have created an ambience, atmosphere, and social scene that is compelling to affluent buyers from around the world. Highly exclusive, as there are less than 600 residences, Port Royal is simply a world unto itself, a patrician’s playground, offering few clues to the uninitiated of the luxury lifestyles of its privileged residents.
Port Royal has a mystique – a luxury pedigree of refinement and glamour that can only be  established by the test of time. An air of mystery exists, which heightens the fascination of those outside its coterie. Much of this mystery surrounds the private and ultra-exclusive Port Royal Beach Club, where membership eligibility is determined by purchasing property within the defined boundary of the development. The Port Royal Club is located on the beach, and both sides of Gordon Drive. The Port Royal Club furnishes the amenities one would expect, including dining facilities, 9 tennis courts, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The Club sits on approximately 425 feet of prime, secluded beachfront. Quite understandably, the members highly value their privacy, so little detail leaks out to non-members. Club members are very active socially, often hosting events which send a buzz rippling throughout the rest of Naples and beyond. Another source of the mystery and mystique surrounding Port Royal pertains to the Hole-in the-Wall Golf Club, located off Goodlette Road in Naples (outside the boundaries of Port Royal). This golf club has no direct relationship with Port Royal, but was founded and essentially created almost 50 years ago for those living in Port Royal at the time. Opened initially in 1957, this Dick Wilson designed 18 hole course is not only private, but membership is by invitation only. All of the information about the Hole-in-the-Wall Golf Club is private. Equity membership initiation fees are not disclosed to the public. An existing member must sponsor a prospective member, and a waiting list exists – which can involve several years. Purchasing property in Port Royal does not confer any rights to membership in the Hole-in-the-Wall Golf Club, although you may meet a “sponsor” socializing in the neighborhood. Should you have the opportunity to play there, the par 5, 548 yard 7th hole is particularly challenging.
In addition to the mystique and veil of secrecy designed to ensure the privacy of its residents, Port  Royal has an air of romance about it. The names of the streets – Galleon Drive, Rum Row, Spyglass Lane, Cutlass Lane – invoke the age of the buccaneers, and colorfully remind all that almost 50 % of the geographic area of Port Royal consists of water. A few sections of the development contain homes on lots without water frontage, but the vast majority of the estates in Port Royal are on deep water access lots, or beachfront lots. You can dock almost any size yacht in your backyard on the lots with bay, cove or inlet frontage. Miles of waterfront property was created by the developer, and the navigable channels and waterways lead to easy and direct Gulf access through Gordon Pass. Keewaydin Island State Preserve lies just across the Pass, Naples Bay, and Admiralty Bay. These waterfront homes have dramatic views of vast stretches of the bay, and mangrove forests and other lush natural vegetation on the preserve off in the distance. From the  charming homes built in the 1950's and 1960's during the initial development stage, to newly built grand estates built on 3 or more lots, Port Royal maintains its glamour through what is often understated elegance, offering a counterpoint to its more ostentatious peer group on the east coast of Florida.
We have identified trends (that we would be glad to discuss confidentially to qualified customers) that reveal certain very attractive present opportunities to buy in Port Royal. Homes in Port Royal currently range in price from $4,500,000 to $17,000,000 in terms of active listings. There are homes not presently for sale on larger lots which if marketed would list for substantially higher –from $20,000,000 to possibly twice that high or more for the most rare potential offering. Residential lots currently listed run from approximately $3,000,000, to just under $30,000,000 for an extraordinary joint-lot offering, involving the beachfront. Please feel free to  contact us to learn more about real estate opportunities in the superlative neighborhood of Port Royal, or any other luxury waterfront neighborhoods in Naples. We can help you identify the perfect home, or homesite for you to build the home of your dreams on, in this most prestigious enclave. Let us also help you identify other key local professionals, such as outstanding architects, general contractors, interior designers, landscape architects, and other top vendors who have experienced success in Port Royal and beyond. You can live John Glen Sample’s dream, as Port Royal unquestionably is one of the finest places in the world to live.
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