Lee Health breaks ground on new $435 million hospital in Fort Myers

FORT MYERS, Fla. — In three years, the dirt lot off Colonial and Challenger Boulevard in Fort Myers will transform into a $435 million state-of-the-art hospital.

WATCH AS FORT MYERS COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT ANVAR RUZIEV REPORTS FROM THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY:

When the new hospital opens, Lee Memorial Health on Cleveland Avenue will close, raising questions about commute times for people in North Fort Myers and why the new facility will have fewer beds.

The new hospital will span an impressive 560,000 square feet, making it larger than Lee Memorial Health. However, it will initially feature only 167 beds, compared to the 416 beds currently available at Lee Memorial.

So, why fewer beds in a growing community? According to Lee Health CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci, the shift in healthcare trends is driving the change.

“What we're seeing is a movement away from the inpatient beds to the outpatient world, so use rates are dropping as we look at inpatient care,” explained Dr. Antonucci. “In addition to that is the assessment that there will probably be other hospitals built in our community.”

Dr. Antonucci added that the new hospital will focus on efficiency and advanced technology, including "smart rooms."

General Superintendent Trenton LeBlanc from Skanska, the project's construction company, explained the concept.

“A smart room is usually inside of a healthcare hospital patient room. They have state-of-the-infrastructure technology where a doctor can actually video call into your patient room, he said. "That way, if the doctor wasn't physically in the hospital, they could just call in, almost like a teleconference.”

The new hospital's location has sparked concerns from North Fort Myers residents about longer commute times. Dr. Antonucci addressed them revealing future plans for Cape Coral.

“If you look at the folks in North Fort Myers, they will have the opportunity to go to Cape Coral Hospital too,” said Dr. Antonucci. “And we're also planning some exciting things in Cape Coral that we’ll be announcing soon, so we recognize our responsibility to provide care for the entire region.”

During the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, Lee Health representatives emphasized their commitment to the community, noting that the project will employ primarily Southwest Florida contractors.

Mayor Kevin Anderson hinted at potential plans for a hotel near the hospital site, as well as collaborations with nearby elementary and middle schools.

Lee Health aims to open the new hospital and officially close Lee Memorial Health by December 2027.