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RSW Living Magazine

Fort Myers to be Home to New Lee Health Hospital Campus

Nov 18, 2021 09:25AM ● By Jessica Wagner

Photo Courtesy of The Journal of Healthcare Contracting's Website

On October 28, 2021 the Lee Health Board of Directors approved the hospital plans for its new campus in Fort Myers.

The planned campus will sit on 52 acres of land between Colonial Blvd and Winkler Ave and is currently being called the “Lee Health Colonial Campus”, according to The Bakersfield Californian.

The first step in developing this campus was approved by the Board, which is to obtain a “Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for architectural services, construction management and commissioning authorities”, states Bakersfield.

The campus is expected to house 216 beds in an acute care hospital, 16 operating rooms, an emergency department with 30 bays and a 16-bed observation unit. The campus will also be home to Lee Health’s data center, as well as ancillary and social services.

Bakersfield reports Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and CEO of Lee Health, explaining, “Lee Health is planning a medical destination aimed at innovating health care in Southwest Florida. Our area is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, and this new hospital campus will ensure that everyone has the access to the quality health care they deserve. Lee Health is committed to growing with our community and staying current with trends in the delivery of health care to provide the best possible care for our patients. We look forward to working with community leaders as this project moves forward to ensure we are meeting all of the needs of our patients and our community.”

Lee Memorial Hospital will still be offering its services as this new campus continues to develop. Once the new campus is up and running, Lee Health will work closely with the City of Fort Myers to determine how best to use the Memorial Hospital to serve the community.

Mayor of the City of Fort Myers, Kevin Anderson told Bakersfield, “The City of Fort Myers is excited to welcome a new, state-of-the-art, health care destination within our city limits. Lee Health has served our city for more than 100 years, and this project exemplifies their commitment to our community by expanding access to high-quality health care. I want to thank Lee Health for engaging community leaders to ensure that all of the health care needs of our community are met with this project, and I look forward to working together on the Lee Health Colonial Campus and the future of health care in the downtown area.”

This isn’t the first project to help the health of the surrounding area. “Gulf Coast Medical Center is wrapping up a $315 million expansion project that will culminate in the transfer of the Regional Trauma Center from Lee Memorial and Lee Health recently announced $150 million in expansion plans in the City of Cape Coral. In 2018, Lee Health opened Lee Health Coconut Point, a full-service medical destination in Estero. Also, in 2017, Lee Health opened the region’s only children’s hospital – Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida – a $250 million investment in the community,” reports Bakersfield.

Although the permitting for this new campus is expected to take about two years to obtain, Lee Health is dedicated to announcing detailed plans as they become available.

For more information on Lee Health, check out their 
website.