Treasure Island has filed state permits for a stormwater system that would serve a rebuilt Public Works facility, a new master wastewater pump station and a future police and fire headquarters, moving forward one of the city’s largest rebuilding projects since Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Permit documents submitted July 7 to the Southwest Florida Water Management District cover a 1.74-acre municipal campus at 100 108th Ave. According to the engineering report, the proposed drainage system is being designed to serve not only the new Public Works facility, but also the master pump station and a future public safety complex planned for the property.
The Public Works campus suffered extensive damage during the 2024 hurricane season. According to the city’s project webpage, the main Public Works building was demolished after Helene and Milton, while the remaining garage and smaller support structures will also be replaced. The city says the facilities already needed modernization before the storms because of their age and their location within a FEMA flood zone.
While the permit application focuses on stormwater infrastructure, it reflects a broader effort to rebuild several of the city’s core operations on the same campus.
Public Works Director and Assistant City Manager Gary Volnec wrote to the Catalyst in an email that filing the application marks one of the first regulatory steps in that process.
“The filing of the Southwest Florida Water Management District permit application represents an important early milestone in the City’s recovery and infrastructure improvement efforts,” Volnec said.
The City Commission is scheduled to consider approving a construction contract for the new master pump station during its July 21 meeting. Volnec said roughly 50% of that project will be funded through state and federal grants, and construction is expected to take about 12 months once work begins.
According to the city’s project information, the rebuilt Public Works facility will include an elevated field office, a two-bay maintenance garage, equipment storage and parking areas for city vehicles. Planned improvements to the master pump station include new pumps, piping, an elevated electrical room, a backup generator and upgraded odor-control equipment.
The permit application ties those projects together through a single stormwater management system. According to engineering documents, the system will include two underground vaults connected to a detention pond designed to handle runoff from the Public Works campus, the pump station and the future public safety facility.
Plans for that future building call for a combined headquarters for Treasure Island Police and Fire Rescue.
Volnec said Fire Rescue operations are planned for the elevated second floor to better protect emergency operations from flooding, while the Police Department would occupy the third floor.
The project received another funding boost last month. In a June 29 Facebook post, the city announced it had secured an additional $2.5 million in state appropriations for the public safety facility, bringing total state funding for that project to $4 million. According to the post, the building remains in the design phase.
The engineering plans also reflect lessons learned from last year’s hurricanes. According to Volnec, electrical equipment at both the Public Works facility and pump station will be above required flood elevations, while the pump station’s generator and control systems will be mounted on a raised concrete pedestal intended to reduce storm damage, and allow wastewater service to be restored more quickly following major weather events.
Volnec said the goal extends beyond replacing buildings damaged by the storms.
“Residents should realize that this project is about more than replacing buildings,” he said. “It is an investment in the long-term resilience and reliability of the City’s essential services. By constructing modern, efficient and storm-resilient facilities, Treasure Island is strengthening the infrastructure that residents depend on every day.”
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