The Lee Health Board of Directors has approved plans to move forward in planning a new hospital campus in the City of Fort Myers.

Tentatively known as “Lee Health Colonial Campus,” the property will sit on 52 acres of land along Challenger Blvd. between Colonial Blvd. and Winkler Ave.

The Board of Directors approved proceeding with issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for architectural services, construction management and commissioning authorities as a first step in developing the hospital campus. The RFQ process identifies well-qualified firms that wish to work with Lee Health to undertake this project.

Lee health anticipates the campus will include an acute care hospital with 216 beds, 16 operating rooms, an emergency department with 30 emergency room bays, and a 16-bed observation unit. An observation unit allows a patient to stay in the hospital while their care team determines whether they need to be admitted or discharged. The campus will also house a complement of ancillary and social services and will include a Medical Office Building. Lee Health’s data center will move to the new campus.

“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,” said Dr. Larry Antonucci, president & CEO for Lee Health, in a prepared statement “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.”

As Lee Health is developing this new location and evaluating its services and the needs of the community, Lee Memorial Hospital will continue to offer clinical services, including an emergency department, inpatient beds, and surgical services for the Fort Myers community.

“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,” said Kevin Anderson, mayor of the City of Fort Myers in a prepared statement. “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 project is the latest in a long line of investments in our community to expand access to health care throughout our region,” a release from Heel Health states. “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.

The permitting process for the new campus is expected to take about two years. After that portion of the project is complete, the build timeline is estimated to take an additional three years. The anticipated opening date of the campus is 2027.

Lee Health will announce detailed plans of the new hospital and services offered as they become available, officials said.