Florida Medical Center Expansion, Renovation Moves Forward

FT. MYERS, Fla. — Lee Memorial Health System in Ft. Myers is will soon begin work on a significant expansion and renovation of the Gulf Coast Medical Center, also located in Fort Myers. System officials recently signed a contract with the joint venture of global construction firm Skanska and Gates Construction of Bonita Springs, Fla., to complete the $200 million construction portion of the project.

Together, Skanska and Gates will construct a 366,000-square-foot addition to the existing medical center as well as renovate a roughly 48,000-square-foot section. The project will add three new levels as well as horizontal expansions, and will include a new 1,300-space parking structure. When complete, the facility will have 275 new beds, almost doubling its existing 349-bed capacity, bringing the center’s new capacity to 624 beds.

Dallas-based HKS Architects has been in design on the expansion and renovation for nearly a year. The team began the design process by working with a variety of hospital staff and stakeholders to ensure the facility fits the needs of all employees and users.

The health system has experienced a sharp increase in patient volume in recent years, prompting officials to seek expansion. While most years the hospital saw patient volume increase by less than 2 percent, recently hospital officials have reported a 9 percent increase in inpatient admissions as well as a 7 percent increase in ER visits. The uptick forced system officials to convert some offices and meeting rooms into temporary patient spaces during particularly high-volume months.

Speaking with the Naples News in August 2015 just as the project was entering the design phase, Josh DeTillo, chief administrative officer for the Gulf Coast Medical Center, noted that the large population of aging baby boomers as well as a rise in the area’s general population motivated system officials to pursue the expansion.

Construction is slated to begin by the end of the month and the team aims for a February 2021 completion. The project’s total cost is estimated at $315 million.