Benchmark General Contractors breaks ground on Midpoint Gateway Retail Center in Cape Coral
Benchmark General Contractors held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday, June 17 for Midpoint Gateway Retail Center, a 7,500-square-foot multi-tenant retail development at 2675 Del Prado Blvd. S. in Cape Coral, marking the official start of construction.
The new retail center will offer space for five businesses, with leasing opportunities still available. GMA Architects and Planners is serving as architect on the project, with Moody Powell Structural Engineers as structural engineer. Construction is underway and is expected to be completed within eight months.
“Projects like this, they don’t get enough attention,” said Brad Nickel, president of Benchmark General Contractors. “It’s a small 7,500-square-foot strip mall, but what it represents is jobs staying local, building the community up, dressing up Cape Coral — the less people are driving across the causeway to get jobs, the better. I think projects like this are exactly what the community needs right now.”
Nickel said the project is moving quickly, with site work expected to begin within the next week, and the center positioned for tenants to begin leasing by the end of the year.
The groundbreaking comes as Benchmark expands its reach beyond Sanibel and Captiva, where the company has concentrated much of its work since Hurricane Ian.
“Our last four years have really been focused on the rebuilding of Sanibel and Captiva,” Nickel said. “Hurricane Ian really took our attention and put it over there – that’s our hometown. But now we’ve built our team up to where we can start spreading our wings a little bit and hitting all the other local communities, and bringing what we do best, and that’s building, and building with quality.”
Cape Coral City Councilmember Bill Steinke attended the groundbreaking and praised the investment in the city’s commercial corridor.
“We’ve needed more business opportunity here for folks,” Steinke said. “There are businesses that want to start here, but we’ve just not had the space for them. For an entity to come and invest in our city and make available space for businesses and retail operators to be here is just a great addition to our city – a welcome sight to see a new business space being opened up.”
Steinke added that the project supports the city’s broader economic goals.
“Our quest has been to increase the commercial tax base in our area, and so we welcome those businesses that are willing to put up the infrastructure necessary to accommodate that,” Steinke said.
Benchmark’s project team leading Midpoint Gateway Retail Center includes Ryan Johnson as vice president of commercial and Doug Hrabik as senior project manager.
As Southwest Florida continues to grow, Benchmark General Contractors remains committed to delivering high-quality construction projects that serve businesses and communities across the region. Midpoint Gateway Retail Center reflects the company’s ongoing investment in the Cape Coral market and its broader effort to support local economic growth.
About Benchmark General Contractors
Benchmark General Contractors is a Southwest Florida-based construction firm specializing in commercial and luxury residential projects, with a strong presence in coastal communities including Sanibel and Captiva. Founded in 1984, the company is known for its expertise in complex coastal construction, delivering high-quality projects that meet the unique challenges of building in hurricane-prone environments. Benchmark combines craftsmanship, project management expertise and strong partnerships with developers and architects to deliver projects with precision, transparency and long-term value. As the region continues to grow and rebuild, Benchmark is helping shape the future of Southwest Florida through resilient construction and thoughtful development. For more information, visit Benchmark-GC.com or call 239-466-1590.
