Larsen Health
Center

Client
Shell Point Retirement Community
Location
Ft. Myers, FL
Completion date
November 2021

RDG's design for Larsen Health Center replaces a nearly 50-year-old existing skilled nursing facility to bring together all of Shell Point's healthcare services, including comprehensive medical office facilities, with wound care, triage, behavioral health, infusion therapy, imaging, laboratory services, rehabilitation center, dental offices, pharmacy and a 180-bed skilled nursing facility with private rooms. 

Larsen Health Center is located on the Shell Point Retirement Community continuing care campus in Fort Myers, Florida. RDG's design for the newly-constructed building replaces a nearly 50-year-old existing skilled nursing facility to bring together all of Shell Point's healthcare services, including comprehensive medical office facilities, with wound care, triage, behavioral health, infusion therapy, imaging, laboratory services, rehabilitation center, dental offices, pharmacy and a 180-bed skilled nursing facility with private rooms.   

Encompassing nearly 200,000-SF of space across six floors, the center includes exam and procedure rooms, offices for Shell Point's medical staff and specialty physicians, an inpatient/outpatient therapy center with an open-gym concept, occupational therapy home suite, a state-of-the-art aqua therapy pool and private treatment rooms on the first floor. Floors two through six offer 162 private and nine companion skilled nursing rooms (180 total beds) with 10-foot ceilings, expansive windows and well-appointed bathrooms with walk-in showers. Dining rooms and sunrooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing water and nature preserve views. Each self-contained residential neighborhood accommodates 20 residents and offers a living room, activity room, lounge area and a family conference room. The project was designed to LEED Gold standards in collaboration with Shell Point's Operations Development Team, Wegman Design Group, Johnson Engineering, Stantec Consulting Services and Fiber Solutions. The Weitz Company handled construction activities as the construction manager.

The team overcame obstacles to develop a new skilled nursing building in the tropical storm area by incorporating “shelter in place” strategies for Category 5 storm surge and wind to protect care-dependent residents during hurricanes. Licensed skilled nursing was lifted to 27.5 feet above sea level, presenting an opportunity to design medical services under skilled care.
Awards
EFA Design Showcase — Honorable Mention
Environments for Aging
2023