Hurricane Charley in Punta Gorda, five years later

Hurricane Charley made landfall in southwest Florida on Aug. 13, 2004. Not since Hurricane Andrew in 1992 had the Florida peninsula seen such devastation. Five years after Hurricane Charley, Punta Gorda has emerged better than before. Read the story by Emily Nipps: Five years after Hurricane Charley, Punta Gorda has emerged better than before

Charlotte County Airport. Charley did extensive damage to the airport, destroying buildings, hangars and private airplanes. Damage was in the millions. Today, commercial airlines use the airport. [2009 photo by CHERIE DIEZ / 2004 photo by SCOTT KEELER]

Downtown Punta Gorda looking east on W Marion Ave. at the Ace Hardware. Just west of Ace Hardware was a brick building which housed The Blossom Shop. It collapsed during Charley and is now a parking lot. [2009 photo by CHERIE DIEZ / 2004 photo by CHASE SQUIRES]

Windmill Village clubhouse. The old community center was destroyed by Hurricane Charley. [2009 photo by CHERIE DIEZ / 2004 photo by BOB CROSLIN]

 

Downtown Punta Gorda looking west on W Marion Ave. [2009 photo by CHERIE DIEZ / 2004 photo by SCOTT KEELER]

Charlotte High School. [2009 photo by CHERIE DIEZ / 2004 photo by LARA CERRI]

Best Western hotel on the Peace River. The 2004 photo was made further down this row, past the overhang.[2009 photo by CHERIE DIEZ / 2004 photo by WILLIE J. ALLEN JR.]

 

Downtown Punta Gorda looking east on W Marion Ave. The yellow building is the new Sunloft Center at 201W Marion Ave. in downtown Punta Gorda. The mixed-use development offers professional office space, restaurant or retail leasing, and residences. It replaced the Professional Center, a large dark glass office building. [2009 photo by CHERIE DIEZ / 2004 photo by SCOTT KEELER]