Lee Health’s Fort Myers Hospital Will Drive Medical Innovation

Lee Health is constructing a 535,000-sf acute care facility in Fort Myers to replace Lee Memorial. Representing an investment of approximately $434 million, the five-story structure was designed by Flad Architects to expand vital access to best-in-class treatment for the growing population of Southwest Florida. The 168-bed hospital will accommodate 42 emergency department beds, 10 operating rooms, and 236 patient rooms, empowered by integrated smart technology to optimize scheduling, clinical support, and personalized interventions. 

The inpatient development will be the centerpiece of a wider 53-acre campus, also masterplanned by Flad Architects. Connecting to the main hospital via a pedestrian bridge on the second level, a 125,000-sf medical office building will serve as the home of the Lee Health Musculoskeletal Institute. The collaborative, multidisciplinary facility will provide eight leading-edge operating rooms, neurosurgical and surgical optimization clinics, and a rehabilitation center with a patient gym, as well as a 22,000-sf central energy plant.

This dynamic healthcare destination will harness a comprehensive set of resiliency and sustainability measures to enhance long-term preparedness in the context of the state’s unpredictable climate. The site and critical areas within it will be elevated to compensate for flood predictions, and redundant power systems will be accompanied by dual-fuel generators and a reinforced building envelope capable of withstanding 150mph winds. Multiple wells, including an emergency makeup water well for air conditioning, will ensure uninterrupted operations. 

Skanska is the general contractor, with TLC Engineering as MEP Engineer and Johnson Engineering (an Apex company) as civil engineer. Completion of the first phase of construction is slated for 2028.