Punta Gorda emergency operations center expansion reaches construction-document and pricing stage

Charlotte County says its planned expansion of the Emergency Operations Center and Public Safety Department facility in Punta Gorda has reached the construction-document and pricing stage. A county update dated July 10, 2026, says construction documents have been received and the contractor is developing a Guaranteed Maximum Price, or GMP.

The project is located at 26571 Airport Road in Punta Gorda. The county describes the work as a buildout and reconfiguration of the existing Emergency Operations Center and Public Safety Department facility. Its listed total budget is $12 million, including $1 million for design and $11 million for construction. The county identifies the funding source as a state appropriation.

Final construction pricing is still being developed

The county says the design team has submitted the construction documents. Florida Premier Contractor, the name used on the county project page, is developing a GMP based on the plans and comments returned during construction-document review.

The $12 million figure should therefore be understood as the county’s listed project budget, not as a final construction contract price. The GMP remains a later pricing step under the construction-manager-at-risk arrangement.

County procurement records identify the awarded firm as Florida Premier Contracting of Punta Gorda, with an award date of August 13, 2025. A county commission record refers to the firm as Florida Premier Contractors, LLC. The records describe the same Punta Gorda construction-management procurement, while the project page uses the shorter name Florida Premier Contractor.

The procurement award and the GMP stage are separate. The award selected the firm for construction-manager-at-risk services; the current project update says the construction price is still being prepared from the completed documents.

Facility is used for county emergency coordination

Charlotte County Emergency Management describes the Emergency Operations Center as the heart of coordination during emergencies. The facility brings together public-safety agencies, government partners, utilities and community organizations to share information and mobilize resources.

That makes the Punta Gorda project a countywide public-safety facility improvement located within the city. The approved scope covers expansion and reconfiguration of the existing operations center and Public Safety Department space. The reviewed records do not establish specific effects on evacuation times, emergency staffing or uninterrupted operations during construction.

Schedule remains a forecast

The county’s schedule lists an estimated construction start of June 22, 2026, with construction forecast to finish on December 1, 2028. Turnover and closeout are forecast for December 24, 2028.

At the same time, the project page continues to list design development as the current phase. The page does not confirm that physical construction has begun, so the June 22 start date and later completion dates should be read as forecasts rather than proof of active work at the Airport Road site.

The next milestones to watch are release or approval of the GMP, confirmation of physical construction activity and a county update showing whether the project has moved from design development into construction.

Sources

• Charlotte County EOC Expansion project page
• Charlotte County Purchasing Division RFP 20250233
• Charlotte County Legistar file 2025-7044