Gulfpoint opens Lee County’s first P3 K-8 campus

Gulfpoint Construction has opened the Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. K-8 School in Cape Coral, the School District of Lee County’s first public-private partnership campus. The new school replaces the former elementary site with a larger, modern facility built to add capacity, improve resilience and support the district’s growth.

Why it matters: - The Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. K-8 School is the School District of Lee County’s first public-private partnership school. - The new campus adds classroom capacity in northwest Cape Coral and supports growth in the Burnt Store Road corridor. - The project replaces a former elementary school damaged by Hurricane Ian with a modern public campus. - Gulfpoint Construction says the delivery model helped the district manage cost, schedule and risk while keeping the facility publicly owned.

What happened: - Gulfpoint Construction announced the opening of the new Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. K-8 School in Cape Coral, Florida. - The campus opened ahead of the new academic year. - The school sits on the district’s 31-acre site in northwest Cape Coral. - The project transformed the former Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. Elementary into a full K-8 facility. - Gulfpoint said it was selected through a competitive process to provide design coordination and construction.

The details: - The campus is designed for approximately 1,800 students. - The school includes dedicated middle-grade facilities. - The design supports a complete K-8 pathway on one campus. - Gulfpoint said the project was structured to avoid private financing and long-term management contracts. - The company said it integrated design and construction early to limit cost escalation, accelerate the schedule and reduce change orders. - The campus includes elevated site planning, life-safety systems, improved traffic circulation and modern classroom technology. - Gulfpoint said the new construction emphasizes resilience, safety and energy efficiency. - Groundbreaking took place in May 2025.

Between the lines: - The project gives the district a template for rebuilding after Hurricane Ian with a larger and more durable facility. - The P3 approach appears aimed at speed and cost certainty more than private-sector ownership or long-term control. - A single K-8 campus can simplify student transitions and operations compared with separate elementary and middle school sites. - Gulfpoint framed the school as a showcase project for complex public work where schedule, budget and quality all matter.

What's next: - The School District of Lee County will use the new campus for the upcoming school year. - The district’s success with this project could shape how it approaches future school construction and rebuilds. - Gulfpoint said the project reflects a broader model for public schools and private builders to deliver facilities faster and smarter. - More information is available in Gulfpoint Construction’s announcement.

The bottom line: - Lee County now has its first P3 school campus, and the district gains a larger, more resilient K-8 facility built for long-term enrollment growth.