The Florida Department of Law Enforcement broke ground recently on a $36 million crime-fighting facility located off Alico Road in Lee County.
Seagate Development said construction begins shortly on Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s new Fort Myers Regional Operations Center or FMROC.
FDLE Deputy Commissioner Vaden Pollard said at the July 31 groundbreaking that the 64,000-square-foot-facility is being built to match the region’s growth in population.
“This new facility located near Southwest Florida International Airport represents the future of public safety in this region. It will provide a modern workspace used for our agents, analysts, and forensic scientists, giving them the space, tools and technology they need to operate at the highest level."
Pollard said FMROC will include a new state-of-the-art forensic lab, and a flexible training center designed for FDLE members and law enforcement partners around Southwest Florida.
Speaking on behalf of the Southwest Florida Police Chiefs Association, Punta Gorda Police Chief Pamela Smith said the new facility is “much needed to support the growth of our area and to meet the challenges law enforcement faces with new technology.” Smith credited FMROC with providing outstanding crime lab services already but says having a new state of the art facility will help officers close cases more swiftly, bringing justice to victims and their families.
Seagate Development Group CEO Matt Price said it will construct the two-story building on about 8 acres of property located at 16595 Oriole Road, in the northwest corner of Alico and I-75. Seagate expects the project to take 13 months.
FDLE said the location provides ideal proximity to RSW which is a great benefit, for example, during hurricane season when they provide aerial reconnaissance and need a large airport.
Hurricane Ian damaged the structure of the current FMROC located at Page Field in Fort Myers. FDLE said that hurricane damage plus the fact that FDLE has outgrown that facility, prompted the need for a new Fort Myers Regional Operations Center
The Florida legislature approved 5 million dollars for FMROC in this years budget.
FDLE Communications Director Casey Smith said about 80 employees at the current facility at Page Field will be transferred to the new center with an expected expand of the workforce to 100. A ribbon cutting is planned for fall of 2026.
FDLE partnered with Fort Myers-based Seagate Development and Washington D.C.-based Easterly Government Properties to make the project possible. According to its website, Easterly Government Properties is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on serving investors and the community by providing Class A leased facilities for the use of the Federal government. The company primarily focuses on mission-critical agencies like the FBI and DEA.
Easterly Government Properties CEO Darrell Crate said at the groundbreaking that FMROC is a reflection of their commitment to the communities they invest in and are excited to be in Lee County to develop a vital safety asset. Crate also states they will have the building up on time and on budget.
Easterly said they entered into a 25-year-lease with FDLE with the option of two five-year extensions.
The Lee County Clerk of Courts website shows Three Oaks Business Center Partners LLC sold the property July 2, 2025, for $5,773,808 to Seagate Alico South.
The Fort Myers Operations Center is one of seven regional centers operated by FDLE.
FMROC serves 10 counties including Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Hendry, Glades, Sarasota, Manatee, Desoto, Highland and Okeechobee.
FDLE Deputy Commissioner Matt Walsh, Fort Myers Special Agent in Charge Eli Lawson, State Senator Jonathan Martin, Representative Yvette Benarroch of Naples, State Attorney Amira Fox, Florida Highway Patrol Deputy Director Robert Chandler and Cape Coral’s Police Chief Anthony Sizemore were among the dozens of leaders participating in the ceremony.
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