Construction has started on Six Mile Corporate Park along Six Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers.

The centerpiece of the projects will be a two-story office building of 47,358 square feet.

“This will be the largest office building on the Parkway and will provide Class A corporate and professional office space for businesses demanding a landmark location with convenient access to I-75 and Southwest International Airport,” said Randal L. Mercer of CB Richard Ellis Fort Myers-Naples. The space may be subdivided and custom designed to suit tenant requirements, added Mercer, who is the project‘s marketing director.

The 8.09-acre corporate office park is midway between Colonial Boulevard and Daniels Parkway. Development also includes construction of the eastern portion of Crystal Drive.

“The Fort Myers area, especially the I-75 corridor, is positioned to lead Florida ’s economic recovery and growth into the next decade,” Mercer said. “The new airport terminal is finished, work is underway on another runway, and construction is beginning on the expansion of I-75. We still have over 30,000 people moving to Lee County every year and this is an excellent time to develop properties to serve the ever growing population.”

The building is designed to assure businesses of a strong, distinctive presence on the Parkway, while providing panoramic views of neighboring Six Mile Cypress Slough nature preserve. The entry features a two-story arched window wall, flooding the entry lobby and grand staircase with natural light. Varied roof lines, Palladian windows, quoins and tile accents are among the architectural details.

The building is structurally engineered to exceed building codes, with impact glass to withstand hurricanes, while integrating an extensive list of environmental and energy-saving features. In addition, Six Mile Parkway is being widened to four lanes, further expanding it as a major north-south arterial roadway.

Plans also include two sites for individual office buildings, both fronting directly on Six Mile Cypress Parkway. Each site will accommodate up to an additional 30,000 square feet of office space, and zoning allows a wide range of businesses and professions, including medical office.

The sites will be available for purchase or the developer will build to suit.

Mercer coordinated site selection, acquisition and development plans for the park. Financing is arranged with Busey Bank. Sheeley Architects is providing architectural design, with civil engineering by Jeppesen Engineering Corporation.

Florida Lifestyle Homes is the general contractor and will oversee the entire project, from site development through custom interior build-outs.