Status of Cape Coral Yacht Club renovations uncertain

Another obstacle to the future of the Cape Coral Yacht Club: It’s supposed to be closed for renovations by now, but Cape Coral did not get permits in time. With inflation and supply chain issues, the cost of the project is so high that it may be put off for a while.

No one can say when work will begin, and it doesn’t look like the issue will be resolved anytime soon as Cape Coral waits for permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The original plan was to close the yacht club in April and keep it shut down for two years, with only the boathouse restaurant available to people. But that’s all been pushed back. Some of the City’s plans to renovate the Yacht Club included expanding the beach area, adding new paid parking garages and updating the restrooms.

Michael Ilczyszyn, Cape Coral’s interim public work director, says the longer this project is on hold, the more it will cost.

“We have been on a parallel path trying to secure the permits to actually do the construction of the in-water aspects, which specifically are the boat ramp removal and relocation, the seawall replacement and the redesign of the docks; those activities get permitted through the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Environmental Protection,” Ilczyszyn said.

Ilczyszyn says the major delays are necessary for the federal and state department in charge of the permits.

“What we do is we work with them, you know, they have a responsibility to review those projects and make sure that they’re done to protect endangered species, to prevent any water quality degradation,” Ilczyszyn said.

The City of Cape Coral says when it eventually does get the permits, it has to give around a 60-day notice to residents before construction begins.