Why Cape Coral Yacht Club and Caloosahatchee Connect projects are facing delays

Reporter: Zach Oliveri
Published: Updated:
Cape yacht club
New Cape yacht club renderings

Two major City of Cape Coral projects that were supposed to be in full swing right now are dealing with delays.

The Cape Coral Yacht Club renovations and the Caloosahatchee Connect are behind schedule, but what’s causing the holdup?

Mike Ilczyszyn, the Cape Coral Public Works Director said, “We’re waiting for our DEP and Army Corps of Engineers permit. And those are the two regulatory permits that we need in order to begin construction.”

The Department of Environmental Protection wants the City to demonstrate that the construction at the yacht club won’t diminish water quality.

And the Army Corps has to sign off on the replacement of the seawall and removal of the boat ramp.

There’s no timeline on when the City will get the green light to proceed.

“Right now we’re not under contract,” Ilczyszyn said. “And so it allows us to look at our construction planning.”

That’s not the only project running behind schedule.

The Caloosahatchee Connect project was supposed to start two weeks ago but was delayed because they were waiting for the pipe to come in.

Now, the pipe’s here and work is slowly getting underway with a couple of driveways already dug up.

Melissa Mickey, City of Cape Coral spokeswoman, said, “During the dry season it will save a billion gallons of water that would normally be taken from the canals and used as irrigation water.”

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