It has been just over two weeks since Hurricane Irma made landfall in Southwest Florida. As we have seen in media reports, heard in updates from friends and neighbors, or observed on a drive through town, some areas suffered significant damage while others are nearly untouched.
As noted in updates from our General Manager, Ali, Pelican Isle Yacht Club was very fortunate. Our docks did not suffer any visible damage, and we have a professional inspection scheduled to identify any stress that may have been placed on the components. Damage to vessels in our Marina was minimal. Your Marina team will be making minor repairs to the few dock boxes and utility boxes that received some battering in the storm.
Our clubhouse staff worked diligently in the days leading up to the storm. In addition to checking vessels and Marina equipment, the team ensured that the facility and our Club equipment was carefully secured; many items were moved to interior or upper levels in the event of catastrophic flooding or surge. Our hurricane protocol was followed closely to ensure that damage would be minimal.
As well as securing our existing facility and property, our Club staff worked closely with their GATES counterparts and the subcontractors to safeguard against damage to the new construction or to construction materials.
Not only were we well prepared for Hurricane Irma, we were spared the brunt of forecast conditions. Thankfully the extreme storm surges predicted did not materialize, and the storm failed to reorganize after making landfall to our south.
Despite our preparations and great fortune, we did experience minor damage to light fixtures and landscaping around the property and what is fairly significant water and mold damage to the lower level of our building. Even with prompt efforts to clean and dry the wet areas, it appears that most drywall and much flooring may be damaged beyond salvage. On a positive note, 90% of the lower level contents had been relocated, and damage is limited to the floors and walls. Our Club leadership acted quickly to file claims on the appropriate policies, and the first insurance adjuster visited the club last week. Ali will be working closely with our Facilities Manager Steve to further evaluate the damage and gather estimates for the mitigation and necessary repairs.
Finally, we are working with our GATES team to evaluate how this disruptive storm system and associated preparations and recovery will impact our construction timeline. Some repercussions are obvious and clear cut. We lost 12 working days as the facility was prepared, equipment was secured, and then restored. Lack of electricity at the Club as well as in the offices and homes of our design teams and subcontractors slowed the recovery. In the coming weeks, we will continue to evaluate the second and third order effects as our General Contractor re-works our timeline.
My best estimate is that we will still reach completion towards the end of November or early December, however, it still remains to be seen how much the impact to the local area will affect our individual project. Damages around town will require both materials, skilled workers, and in some case - permits and inspections. We will be vying for resources in all of these areas. Our General Contractor has been very proactive in all areas and our team will be working closely with the GC to tighten up that estimated window for completion.
Ali and I will continue to keep you updated in the coming weeks.
