FORT MYERS, Fla. — How would you feel about your power lines being underground? This is a real possibility for downtown Fort Myers.
A business owner, who lost everything in Hurricane Ian, says he's on board with the idea.
"You know in 2024, what do you do without power?," said Robby Podgorski, owner of Green Cup Cafe.
It's not hard for us to imagine living without power for a week or two — many of us lost it during Hurricane Ian. Some, lost everything, like Podgorksi.
Not only did the cafe flood, but he also lost power.
"Every business knows the day after a hurricane, you're throwing away everything," Podgorski said.
To avoid a situation like this, the city wants to put some of the wires underground.
"We need these underground to keep these businesses up and take care of the downtown area," said Liston Bochette III, commissioner of the Community Redevelopment Agency and City Councilman. "We need to get into this and get it done while it's cost effective and beneficial."
For $1.2 million, lines would go underground for four blocks from Hendry Street to Lee Street and Edwards Street to First Street. FP&L says underground lines performed roughly six times better than overhead lines during Hurricane Ian. The lines, FPL says, perform more than 50% better on a day-to-day basis.
"Downtown is the target area because it is the federal, state, county and city government hubs," Bochette said.
He said the CRA is looking to pay for it in three installments over a three-year period of $400,000 a year, which is all tax-driven.
Those taxes will come from businesses, which are in a special tax zone. That means some of the taxes go to the CRA and then it goes back into the same community.
"To have a local business be able to turn their lights on, you're talking about a restaurant that might not lose food costs," Podgorski said.
For any of this to happen, though it already passed CRA, City Council would need to approve it. The CRA is asking the city to cost share the project.
Even then, Bochette says Fort Myers would have to get on Florida Power & Light's schedule, though applications for some areas are already submitted.
"To be able to have power after a storm, it's going to save businesses money," Podgorski said.
Businesses like his, that's getting back on his feet. Green Cup Cafe is in a new location — between the downtown library and Voodoo Brewing.
Podgorski is hoping to have the lights turned on by late June or July.
"No matter what storm comes to us in Fort Myers, we're going to find a way out," he said.
