Barron Collier Co. Donates 18 Acres in Ave Maria for New NCH Hospital

The rapidly expanding community of Ave Maria is poised to gain its first full-scale hospital, thanks to a strategic land donation that signals a major leap in healthcare infrastructure for eastern Collier County.

Developer Barron Collier Companies (BCC) has pledged 18 acres of land in the town of Ave Maria to NCH (Naples Comprehensive Health) for the development of a new facility. The donation comes as part of a long-term collaboration to meet the growing medical needs of a community that until now lacked local access to comprehensive hospital services.

NCH plans a four-phase build-out culminating in a 150-bed hospital. The initial phase will feature a 24/7 emergency department equipped with imaging and labs. As the development progresses, additional inpatient capacity and surgical suites will be added to serve the town and surrounding areas.

For residents of eastern Collier County, the new facility represents a dramatic improvement in healthcare access. Currently, many in the area must travel significant distances for emergency care or inpatient hospitalization. With the new hospital, many of those trips will be reduced or eliminated. From a development and economic standpoint, the project underscores the maturation of Ave Maria—from a planned community to a fully serviced town with major amenities. The donation of land by the developer signals confidence in the region’s trajectory and the willingness of infrastructure partners to invest for the long term.

While the exact opening date remains subject to permitting and construction schedules, officials indicate that early planning has begun and that construction could start in the next 18 months. The full build-out is expected to follow in phases as the community continues to grow.