Lee County to build LeeTran facility

BUYER: Lee County, Fort Myers

SELLER: Walter Johnson

PROPERTY: 3251 Evans Ave., Fort Myers

PRICE: $7.8 million

PREVIOUS PRICE: $4 million, March 2005

LAW FIRM ON DEED: Duncan & Associates PA, Fort Myers

PLANS, DESCRIPTION: Lee County purchased 23.9 acres near the Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center for $7.8 million.

The price equated to $326,488 per acre.

The county plans to use the land for a central operations facility for LeeTran, its public transportation system. The complex will replace an existing 4.5-acre main facility and various other smaller sites scattered throughout the county.

Robert Clemens, land acquisition manager for Lee County, says the property was selected because of its size and central location. The site is just north of the Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center.

The county plans to fund 90% of the $30-million development through state and federal grants.

LeeTran officials expect to start advertising a request for architectural services in October. Once construction starts the project is estimated to take 36 months to complete.

The layout for the facility has not been fully designed, but it will include six bays for servicing all the transportation vehicles, an operations section with meeting rooms and administrative facilities.