Lee Health Constructs Hospital on Fort Myers Medical Campus

Lee Health broke ground in January of 2025 on a 416,000-sf acute care facility in Fort Myers that will replace Lee Memorial. Representing an investment of approximately $434 million, the five-story, 168-bed hospital will accommodate 10 inpatient operating rooms, a 44-bed emergency room, and 24 intensive care unit beds. Patient rooms will integrate the latest smart technology for connected care to optimize scheduling, clinical support, and personalized interventions. Designed by Flad Architects, the project promises to drive healthcare innovation and create accessible, best-in-class treatment for the region’s growing population.

The inpatient facility will serve as the centerpiece of a 53-acre campus for which Flad Architects also served as master planner. Lee Health’s Musculoskeletal Institute will be housed in a 125,000-sf building providing medical offices and ambulatory surgery space, with a pedestrian bridge on the second floor creating a physical link to the main hospital. Emphasizing a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach, the structure will accommodate eight operating rooms, specialty clinics, and an onsite rehabilitation center with a patient gym. An 18,000-sf central energy plant will also be constructed. Future plans for the campus could include an on-site hotel.

The Lee Health Fort Myers campus will harness several resilient design elements, such as raising critical infrastructure and parking areas to mitigate the effects of hurricanes or flooding. Redundant electrical systems, a full-facility generator, and multiple wells will ensure continuous operations in the event of community infrastructure disruption. 

Skanska USA is the general contractor, with TLC Engineering as MEP engineer and Johnson Engineering as civil engineer. The first phase of construction is slated for completed in 2028.