Nearly a decade after Lee Health opened Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, demand for pediatric care is outgrowing the facility.
Now, the health system is partnering with Milwaukee-based Landmark Healthcare Facilities to expedite the opening of a 60,000-square-foot outpatient clinic and education center by early 2028.
Site work is already underway. Crews moved enough earth to fill a 65-foot-tall football field, said Mark Stevens, president of Stevens Construction.
Project leaders and community members gather for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction on Lee Health’s pediatric outpatient center.
Lee Health
The construction management firm mobilized about 300 dump trucks per day for 20 days, hauling 105,000 cubic yards of dirt to prepare the 9.5-acre site next to Golisano Hospital and the HealthPark Medical Center campus in south Fort Myers.
Project leaders on May 13 hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for The Pediatric Surgery Center and Family Medicine Clinic at 9450 Healthpark Circle.
“It does remind us all that every truck of dirt is changing kids’ lives,” said Chris Simoneau, Lee Health chief development, marketing and communications officer.
Lee Health leadership said Golisano Hospital plans to shift about 80% of its pediatric procedures to the new outpatient center, freeing up the hospital to provide timely care for the most critically ill patients.
Dr. Larry Antonucci, president and CEO of Lee Health, speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new pediatric outpatient center in south Fort Myers.
Evan Williams
“It expands access, reduces wait times and brings high-quality services where patients need it the most,” Lee Health President and CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci said in his remarks at the ceremony. “One of the most important aspects of this project is its focus on outpatient care. That’s where care is moving.”
The new facility also will support Lee Health’s graduate medical education residency program clinic. Lee Health estimates that 60% of participants stay and work in the region.
“This development represents an investment in both the future of pediatric healthcare and the future of healthcare workers in Southwest Florida,” said Deeni Taylor, Landmark’s chair and CEO.
Pediatrics is part of Lee Health’s broader growth. The nonprofit plans to invest $1.7 billion over the next five years to expand services across the system, Antonucci said.
Construction equipment prepares the site for Lee Health’s planned pediatric outpatient center near HealthPark Medical Center in south Fort Myers.
Evan Williams
Lee Health Chief Operating Officer Ben Spence estimated total costs to build and open the pediatric facility will exceed $70 million, supported by more than $21 million in donations.
Lee Health and Landmark, which specializes in outpatient development and management, will share a 50% equity interest in the center, Spence said.
Lee Health will operate the facility and has the option to buy out Landmark’s share in three years.
“At the end of the day we have a great product with a great partner,” Spence said.
The firms Kahler Slater and Johnson Engineering are providing design services for the building, and 29 subcontractors are expected to work on the project.
Deeni Taylor, chair and CEO of Landmark Healthcare Facilities, speaks about the partnership with Lee Health during a groundbreaking event.
Evan Williams
The first floor of the two-story building will feature a pediatric surgery center and endoscopy suites, while the second floor will house a graduate medical education program, classrooms, collaborative workspaces, a specialty clinic and exam and treatment rooms.
The project is Lee Health’s latest effort to expand pediatric services, such as neurosurgery, ophthalmology and mental health, so fewer families need to leave the region for care.
“It’s really exciting to get to this point, to see this coming to realization,” said Lee Health Chief Physician Executive of Children’s Services Dr. Emad Salman, who founded the region’s first full-time pediatric oncology and hematology program in 1997. “It will improve access and create space for us to do more complex surgeries. We have many young families who live here, and we have to take care of our kids. They are our future.”