CRA outlines fixes for delayed fire-department connections on 40 Seventh and Club Square

The Cape Coral Community Redevelopment Agency on March 12 reviewed a multi-year effort to add secondary fire-department connections (FDCs) behind privately owned buildings on 40 Seventh Street and at Club Square, saying the scope and cost grew after code and plumbing requirements were identified.

The project was originally overseen by an outside consultant and contractor, but the CRA later hired an internal project manager and then transferred management to CRA project manager Zach Gogol, who is leading the current effort, Executive Director (title used in the meeting) said. The work is intended to give firefighters rear access to the buildings during events when streets along the front are closed.

Why it matters: CRA officials said the upgrades are safety-driven because street closures for events can impede emergency response if only front-of-building connections are available. The board discussed how earlier project assumptions underestimated technical needs and how code changes expanded the scope.

CRA staff described how the original concept—punching a secondary connection through walls—proved inadequate when designers and contractors completed permit reviews. Permit discovery showed that required fire-department backflow assemblies and domestic potable-water backflows were outdated and needed replacement to meet current codes, increasing the project’s scope. Staff said they walked every affected building with the new contractor to identify specific conflicts with utilities, electrical boxes and lot-line constraints, and to locate each new FDC as far from the building as practicable within the 40-foot clearance requirement referenced in city code discussion.

Commissioners pressed staff on timeline and prior project management. Commissioner Gunther said he pulled the consent item to hear a summary and asked why the city had taken over project management. Commissioner Long and others traced the contract history to 2020 and asked whether the city’s later involvement followed failed project execution by earlier contractors. Commissioner Kilrain pointed to resolutions dating to 02/19/2020 as the origin of the project, and others said the current scope appears to reflect what should have been in the original planning.

Staff confirmed the CRA intends to fully fund the work; the Executive Director said the project was designed to be funded entirely by the CRA. Staff also explained that enlarging pipe sizes and upgrading connections triggered downstream requirements (for example, replacement or upgrading of backflow preventers) that were not included in earlier scopes. Commissioners asked whether potable-water backflow devices are typically city-funded; staff said those devices are part of private utility connections and the project design links potable and fire water systems, which is why the CRA work triggered upgrades.

Project status and next steps: Zach Gogol reported the design/specification work has been completed to the point of selecting a new contractor, walk-throughs with building owners have been performed, and staff expect to finish the remaining construction and permitting steps so the FDCs can be installed. He told the board he would return with further timeline and cost detail as the contractor completes access and permitting. No final cost tally or construction completion date was specified during the discussion.

Ending: Commissioners who spoke urged stronger internal project management going forward and asked staff to ensure future projects are scoped by personnel with commercial-construction and fire-protection experience. Staff said the current approach reflects lessons learned from the earlier phase and should move the work to final completion.