By the Sea condos break ground on final Sanibel building

Owners of By the Sea, a Sanibel Island condominium complex, celebrated the groundbreaking of the third and final building to be constructed off West Gulf Drive. 

The project is among the first new condominium construction efforts on Sanibel in about 25 years. Sedgemoor, a 12-unit complex off West Gulf Drive, was built in 2002. With the island largely built out before Hurricane Ian, little new ground-up condominium development had occurred until now. 

Benchmark General Contractors is managing the project, which includes three buildings with six units each. Each structure will total 19,477 square feet and rise to 45 feet. The buildings will feature three stories of living space elevated about 14 feet above ground level, with the ground floor designated for parking and storage. 

The rebuild is expected to cost about $22 million, said Bob Moyle, president of the By the Sea condominium association. Benchmark is under contract to complete the exterior and interior construction through drywall. Individual unit owners will finish their interiors separately, although Benchmark will complete 12 of the 18 units. 

The association received about $8 million in insurance proceeds following Hurricane Ian, which struck Sept. 28, 2022. Some owners sold their units after the storm, but all 18 units now have owners, Moyle said. 

Hurricane-force winds, which lingered over the property for about eight hours, tore the roofs off two of the three original buildings, constructed in 1983. The swimming pool is one of the few features that will remain unchanged. 

“What a great group of people to hang in there,” Moyle said of the owners, who first met days after the storm on Oct. 1, 2022. “That was a long time ago. I can’t thank the owners enough.” 

“We are going to have the most sustainable condominium on West Gulf Drive,” he added. “This place is going to be awesome — and generational. I look forward to seeing those grandkids running around here again.” 

Brad Nickel, who purchased Benchmark General Contractors in 2021, spoke during the March 18 groundbreaking ceremony. Sanibel Mayor Mike Miller and project partners, including Double C Designs and J.R. Evans Engineering, also attended. 

“We’re really excited,” Nickel said. Construction on the first two buildings began in December, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. 

“It’s an understatement to say restoration of resorts and condominiums has been more difficult than we anticipated,” Miller said. “Things just take a little longer than were planned.”