GORDON DRIVE-A WORLD CLASS WATERFRONT NEIGHBORHOOD OF ESTATES IN NAPLES
Posted On 2006-10-18 , 1:36 PM
“Dream as if you’ll live forever; live as if you’ll die tomorrow.”
- James Dean 
Some people in this life get to live out their dreams. For many, this includes travel, adventure, and exciting new experiences beyond the reach of the masses. The ultimate lifestyle often includes buying a “dream home,” surrounded by natural beauty, and the opportunity to enjoy your leisurely pursuits of choice amongst like-minded people. When you have the resources to choose any home, anywhere in the United States (or the world) to purchase – where do you buy? The owners  of the magnificent waterfront estate homes in the über-exclusive neighborhoods along South Gordon Drive in Naples have made their choice.
Beachfront estates on larger parcels along Gordon Drive can list for sale at over $20,000,000. The south end of Gordon Drive is the sole access road to this neighborhood, thus offering privacy, seclusion, and security. Gordon Drive is a short drive from the world-class shopping districts and restaurants Naples is famous for. It is only a short walk to the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico from either side of Gordon Drive. Since public access and parking in this area is quite limited, the beaches in this area are pristine, “low traffic,” and used mostly by the residents. From turquoise water, to swaying coconut palms, to pelicans lazily resting on wooden  posts, you will often feel as if you have this tropical paradise all to yourself. The Gordon Drive area is also a mecca for boating, with several options for dockage along the deep water channels and bays with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico.
There is a delicious irony to Gordon Drive having become one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the United States. Gordon Drive (and the nearby Gordon Pass which provides access to the Gulf) was named after Roger Gordon – a pioneer, and one of the earliest settlers in the area. Gordon settled in approximately 1870, and built a fish camp on land near where Gordon Pass is today. The colorful history of Gordon Drive extended to more modern times. In the late 1960's, the Slater estate on Gordon Drive contained a custom-designed saltwater pool where sea turtles, seals and dolphins frolicked. One of these dolphins, according to a local newspaper report in 1969, included the sister of TV star Flipper. Many of the homes built during the initial development stage of Gordon Drive have been replaced by stunning, modern luxury homes, some of which contain 10,000 square feet of living area or more. There are still some undeveloped beachfront lots for sale, as well as some residences built in the 1970's and 1980's. Clearly, the evolving trend is toward stately, spacious, newer homes constructed on multiple or oversized lots.
There are several distinct communities along the southern part of Gordon Drive. Palmer Estates,  also known as “Gordon Drive Estates,” is an intimate, gated community of 9 elegant single family homes. All of the residences enjoy direct beach access, and the homes were built in the mid to late 1990's. Port Royal, a legendary enclave of luxury waterfront homes – which has been the subject of a separate feature article on this website – extends to parts of Gordon Drive, including the beachfront site of the prestigious Port Royal Club. Some of the most highly prized lots and residences on Gordon Drive are located in the Port Royal development. Little Harbour, a gated development, was built between approximately 1998 and 2004. Little Harbour consists of 34 waterfront and lakefront estate  homes. This boating community provides Gulf access through Jamaica Channel to Naples Bay and Gordon Pass. It sits on a parcel adjacent to Port Royal, and owners are eligible for associate membership in the coveted Port Royal Club (the Club must be contacted for details). The security gate at Little Harbour is manned 24 hours a day, and community features include brick pavers, a private fishing pier, and dockage available for those homes which do not contain their own private, deep water dock. The Sabre Cay development is located on the southern tip of Gordon Drive, along Champney Bay. Each of the 16 single family residences includes a boat dock and private beach access, and a number contain breathtaking water views. The “Beach Estates” section of Gordon Drive contains lots and estate homes along the Gulf and bay. Currently, beachfront homes in the Beach Estates neighborhood list from approximately $8,000,000 to  $20,000,000. Certain homes in Beach Estates are eligible for associate membership in the Port Royal Club. Bay side homes, including those with deep water access and dockage along Champney Bay, currently are priced from $4,500,000 and up. Lots in the Port Royal section on Gordon Drive currently range from approximately $20,000,000 to $30,000,000. There is limited inventory for sale along Gordon Drive, and residences and lots not currently offered for sale would, if marketed, extend the upper price range substantially higher for the “most special” estates and largest lots.
Many of the homes on the “bay side” of Gordon Drive contain private, large, deep water docks. For  those who do not have dockage within the homesite, including the beachfront estates, boat slips are available for purchase at the southern tip of the Drive. The Port Royal Boathouse, on Bay Road off Gordon Drive, contains quaint, covered boat houses, with signature white awnings and black shutters. Docks are also located in the Cutlass Cove Boathouse, off Cove Lane. These covered docks, although rare, are offered for sale intermittently, and can provide the final touch to the Gordon Drive lifestyle for those who want it all – a walk out the back door of your estate directly onto a white sand beach, and yachting “just down the street,” with deep water dockage and direct access to the Gulf just minutes away.
To learn more about the rare, unique and remarkable lifestyles and residences along Gordon Drive, contact Jeffrey Ahren directly at (239) 398-7508, or Douglas Sharpe directly at (239) 298-1499. If  you are interested in building the home of your dreams here, contact us to learn about the local architects, contractors, artisans, and craftsmen who have demonstrated excellence in this neighborhood (and other parts of Naples). We can help make your dream a reality. Perhaps you desire a “turnkey” residence on resale. Let us identify for you the best opportunities. The real estate consultants at ImagineNaples.com, and their strategic partners, await the pleasure and opportunity to serve your waterfront real estate needs. From your initial vision to closing – and every step in between – let us provide discreet, highly attentive, courteous real estate service to you. Come explore why so many CEO’s, celebrities, and other prominent individuals purchase waterfront estates in Naples.
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