The final chapter

Aria, with its iconic circular red tops, is the last of 17 high-rise towers developed by the Lutgert Companies on Park Shore Beach. The contract for the last developer unit in the Lutgert Companies' Aria on Park Shore Beach has been inked. The closing last month marked the final chapter in the Lutgert Companies' development story of Park Shore.

With its iconic circular red tops, Aria is the capstone to Lutgert's development on Park Shore Beach. Testament to the company's forward-thinking philosophy and the advancement of luxury high-rise living in Southwest Florida, the tower's residences feature natural gas cooktops and natural gas fireplaces, volume ceilings and the Lutgert trademark "window walls."

Comprised of 18 stories, with 52 residences and 13 penthouses, Aria is the final building of the 17 luxury high-rise towers developed by the Lutgert Companies along Park Shore Beach.

Seeing the future

In 1964, company founder Raymond Lutgert visited Southwest Florida and found a promising, uninhabited tract of land spanning 760 acres and bordering 1¼ miles of Gulf-front beach. The Chicago native also brought years of experience in real estate development. His ability to envisage this land as a one-of-a-kind community with five beachfront parks, open space commons and a beach promenade now known as Park Shore Beach established Mr. Lutgert as a true visionary.

Horizon House was the Lutgert Companies' first beachfront high-rise on Park Shore Beach. The Park Shore community was the first planned unit development in the state of Florida and has served as a model for many subsequent developments. The designed natural dune system is revered as a significant achievement in beachfront preservation.

Horizon House, built in 1970, is the southern anchor to the Lutgert collection on Park Shore Beach. The first beachfront high-rise by Lutgert, it was constructed with increased ceiling heights and introduced a parking garage, which heralded Mr. Lutgert's quest to advance the environment of condominium living.

Although at the time Horizon House was deemed by some locals as a controversial structure, Mr. Lutgert was not deterred. Taking risks was part of his method to success; a commitment to surpass the ordinary, a passion for the best of the best and a desire to reach literal new heights were his guiding lights.

The landmark Venetian Villas on Venetian Bay. Another landmark

In 1976, the company again broke new ground with the landmark Venetian Villas. The 32 villas, built over the waters of Venetian Bay, pay tribute to a Mediterranean style architecture that so inspired Mr. Lutgert during travels abroad.

It is difficult to tour Park Shore and not see the indelible imprint Mr. Lutgert and his son Scott Lutgert, who joined his father in 1970 working for the Lutgert Companies and today serves as CEO, have made on the community.

Aria is the final chapter in the Park Shore Beach story, but it is not the end of the Lutgert narrative. The company is developing luxury high-rise condominiums in Bonita Bay and homes at Linville Ridge, an exclusive mountaintop golf course community in North Carolina.

It is also undertaking a joint venture with the Barron Collier Companies for The Mercato in North Naples (the two companies partnered on The Estuary at Grey Oaks, one of Naples' most exclusive residential country club developments).

Lutgert's commercial properties include Promenade at Bonita Bay, The Village on Venetian Bay, Neapolitan Way, Crossroads Market and Class A office buildings such as the Northern Trust Building and the Quarles and Brady building.

The Lutgert Companies is a g roup of

affiliated pri vate c ompanies in volved in

residential and c ommercial r eal estat e

development, r esidential and c ommercial

real estat e br okerage servic es, de veloper

consultation, sales and marketing services,

personal and commercial insurance services,

and title servic es. The company's presence

in Southwest Florida dates to 1964.