The first time Randy Kurtz was asked to be on a list like this about 30 years ago, he declined. “I was too busy to do anything but work,” he says.
What changed this year? “My daughters talked me into it,” says Randy, whose daughters, Carolyn and Elizabeth, are now vital parts of Kurtz Homes—located in recently opened The Collective—alongside him.
Randy had the vision for a design hub in the Naples Design District 16 years ago. Back then, he’d bought a parcel of land on 10th Street and First Avenue South with some buddies and started envisioning a building with tenants selected to represent every aspect of luxury home building. But the economy took a turn and it wasn’t until three years ago that the project was re-energized as The Collective.
He enlisted John Cooney, whose Stofft Cooney Architects firm is now also based at The Collective, to design the sleek-lined building, which debuted last November. Randy then recruited some of the finest minds in the business, with an eye toward companies who represent the leading edge of design. METHOD & CONCEPT and AlliKristé Cabinetry were early to sign on. Then, others like Casa Italia, The Luxury Bed Collection and GWT Outdoors joined.
With the space, Randy and his team sought to further establish the Naples Design District as a center for art and design. Amid the cluster of architecture firms, builders, lighting stores and flooring specialists in the area, The Collective stands as a symbol that this is the place to be for all things design. The location also functions as an incubator, gathering forward-thinking professionals in a place where they often interact, ideate and collaborate.
Randy and his family have long helped set the standard for design in Southwest Florida. He and his late father, Ron Kurtz, started the company 39 years ago, and together, they’ve been responsible for the look and feel of many homes dotting neighborhoods like Port Royal and Aqualane Shores.
Since the beginning, they’ve been selective about how many projects they take and for whom, allowing them to overdeliver for exacting clients. “Some years, I turn down more work than I take,” Randy says. “Right now, all the work I’m doing is either in Port Royal or on the beach.”
The company’s tagline is “For Generations,” and it makes sense, given Randy has been hired again and again by families building and rebuilding their homes. Randy has run the show since his father passed away 16 years ago, and he plans for his son-in-law, David Gordon, to take over when he retires—which he says won’t be anytime soon. Working with family isn’t for everyone, but for the Kurtzes, it’s made all the difference. Brothers-in-law John DeAngelis of DeAngelis Diamond and Mitch Melheim of Matthew Mitchell Custom Homes are also involved. “They see things much the same way I do, and they want to be the best for our clients,” he says.
The other secret to his success: “I’m good at hiring great people,” Randy says. And he rarely has to recruit, since people stay for decades.
So, what’s in store for the 61-year-old builder and his company, which celebrates 40 years next summer? “I think in the next 39 years or so I’ll think about retiring,” he says. —Kristine Gill