Lee Health Adds 92 Beds to New Fort Myers Hospital Plan

The new Fort Myers medical center will now include 260 beds instead of the initial 168. Set to welcome patients in 2028, this Colonial Boulevard facility aims to meet Southwest Florida's rising medical demands.

"We're in one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation. So keeping up with the health care needs is a challenge in of itself, but the demand for health services is very high, and the need for acute care beds continues to grow," said Ben Spence, Lee Health's chief operating officer, to Gulf Coast News.

Fort Myers has swelled from a small town of 34,000 in 1979 to a bustling city of 100,000. 

The site will house an upgraded child care facility. This new 70,600-square-foot space will hold 114 children, expanding from its current limit of 80.

Mayor Kevin Anderson backed the child care expansion. "I know that the child care they have now has been there for a while. And so it's, it's nice to know they're going to have an updated facility. You know, it's very important to invest in our young people," he said. "You're not just storing them while their parents are at work. You're helping them grow and develop."

Workers will build the medical center at Colonial and Jones Walker Boulevard. By increasing capacity, the medical center aims to cut wait times and bring care closer to home. Patients can visit for both urgent medical needs and scheduled operations.