FISH selects design firm for new facility
FISH of Sanibel-Captiva announced that following a request for qualifications process, architectural firm Schenkel & Shultz was selected to work on the design of its new Resiliency Hub on Sanibel.
The future facility will include programming space for senior services, a food pantry and community resource center. The project reflects a long-term commitment to ensuring that residents, workforce members, seniors, families and visitors continue to have access to critical resources, support services and disaster response capabilities close to home.
“The investment is intended to strengthen essential services and support the evolving needs of the Sanibel and Captiva community for decades to come,” FISH reported.
A United Way Resiliency Hub serving the islands, it received a $6,990,194 reimbursable grant for the project through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. The grant is administered locally through the city of Sanibel.
“We are honored to partner with FISH of SanCap to design their future home and support their mission,” Nathalie White, principal and leader of the firm’s Southwest Florida office, said. “Our goal is to create a welcoming facility that supports both daily operations and emergency response, while serving the community for years to come.”
FISH reported that the project originally focused on repairing the facilities damaged by Hurricane Ian. However, after careful review, it and the architectural-engineering team determined that demolishing the buildings at 2430 and 2422 Periwinkle Way on Sanibel and constructing one new facility would be a better use of funding than repairing and updating the older structures.
The future facility will be designed to support FISH’s core programs, while providing dedicated space for food programs, senior services, volunteer coordination, case management, education and community support. Preliminary concepts include an expanded food pantry with enhanced refrigeration and storage capacity, dedicated senior services space, volunteer and case management areas, meeting and educational space, and an area capable of supporting emergency feeding operations.
“The question became, ‘How do we build what our community will need moving forward?'” President and Chief Executive Officer Maggi Feiner said. “We have an opportunity to create a facility that strengthens our ability to serve neighbors every day, while ensuring we are prepared to respond when emergencies occur.”
In addition to Feiner and Executive Director Maria Espinoza, the FISH Building Committee includes Chair Bill Hayles, Evan DuPont, Jim Metzler, Ashley Price, Susan Ryckman and Sheridan Snell. Florida Gulf Coast University Stock Development Department of Construction Management assistant professor Mona Afifi, Ph.D., will provide technical advisory support.
FISH noted that as the design process proceeds, it will continue seeking community input through stakeholder meetings and conversations with key partners to help ensure the facility reflects the needs of those it serves. Additional stakeholder meetings are planned for early August as the preliminary concepts continue to evolve.
“Every conversation has reinforced the same message: our community needs strong, reliable infrastructure that can adapt as needs change. That conversation continues as we continue with the design phase,” Espinoza said. “We want to hear from the people who use our services, our partners and our neighbors. Their feedback will help shape a facility that supports food security, senior services, disaster preparedness and community needs for many years to come.”
FISH will share project updates through its website, newsletter and social media channels.
To schedule a conversation in early August to discuss the project with Espinoza, contact Executive Assistant Kim Baker at kim@fishofsancap.org or 239-472 4775.
For more information about FISH, visit fishofsancap.org.