Rebuilding Captiva Shores: How Benchmark Turned a Hurricane-Hit Community into a Symbol of Resilience

When Hurricane Ian tore through Captiva Island in 2022, the storm surge and high winds left behind more than wrecked buildings; it left an entire community displaced, waiting, and hoping. For the residents of Captiva Shores, that wait stretched for nearly two years. Progress felt like a distant dream. That changed when Benchmark General Contractors stepped in.

Today, the multi-million dollar restoration of six duplexes, two quads, and one house on Captiva Shores is 90% complete. The sight of fresh siding, new interiors, and sturdy roofs has turned the property into a visible symbol of post-hurricane recovery. But behind the concrete and wood lies a story of trust rebuilt, led by a predominantly female management team.

When Benchmark took over, the project had stalled. "By the time we got out there, they were worn out," says Brad Nickel, President of Benchmark. "They just wanted progress because they hadn't had any in almost two years."

That urgency meant Benchmark had to deliver not just construction, but confidence. The company committed to complete transparency, weekly HOA walkthroughs with Project Manager Brandi Schulte, and two to three on-site visits each week by Project Manager Sarah Vest.

"We don't play smoke and mirrors," says Nickel. "What you ask for is what we give you, and if there's a problem, we handle it head-on." It worked. Nickel recalls visiting one nearly completed unit and meeting the owner in tears, purely satisfied after years of waiting.

Captiva Shores' revival was powered by women at nearly every level: Schulte leading exterior coordination and HOA approvals, Vest guiding interior decisions with individual homeowners, and Project Coordinator Cassidee Rentsch, working in the backend with the permitting and other paperwork.

For Schulte and Vest, it was about balancing speed with sensitivity. "Brandi handled the board, I handled the homeowners," says Vest. "Together, we kept everyone informed and moving forward."

For Benchmark, the Captiva Shores project was personal. After the hurricane, its own office was submerged under five feet of water. The team operated from an attic, taking on more than 100 restoration projects in the first year.

As a builder known for custom homes, this was unfamiliar territory: no blueprints, no clear scope, just urgency and chaos. But those early challenges honed its approach. By the time it reached Captiva Shores, Benchmark had developed an efficient system for managing priorities and delivering results.

Nickel says the rebuild also reflects a deeper mission: making the community more resilient. Many of Captiva Shores' original buildings, constructed in the late 1980s, fell short of today's hurricane-resistant codes. The restored homes now meet modern standards, designed to withstand future storms.

Captiva Shores is just the beginning. Benchmark is now working on the reconstruction of the island's shopping center, several hotels, and multiple condominium buildings. The company is on a mission to restore the economic heartbeat of Captiva and Sanibel. "Tourism drives the economy here," says Nickel. "Getting hotels, shops, and rental properties back online is key to the island's recovery."

Four decades after first breaking ground in Southwest Florida, Benchmark General Contracting is still building trust, resilience, and hope. "Captiva Shores isn't just a project for us," says Nickel. "It's a promise kept."