Nearly 80,000-square-foot Lakeland medical building breaks ground

Construction has started on a new medical office facility in Lakeland.

The 77,200-square-foot Watson Clinic Medical Office building will be part of Orlando Health’s Lakeland Highlands Hospital campus under construction on Polk Parkway where it meets Lakeland Highlands Road.

Hoar Construction, the general contractor for the Watson Clinic project, says work is expected to be completed by midyear 2026. The building, Hoar says, will include offices and imaging labs.

Anchor Health Properties is developing the property for Watson Clinic, a local health care provider.

The building will be four stories with the first three floors — 55,702 square feet — to be made up of offices, exam rooms and imaging suites. The imaging department will be complete with MRI, CT, X-ray and ultrasound machines.

Orlando Health’s 306-bed Lakeland Highlands Hospital is expected to open next year. The inpatient facility will include nearly 30 ICU/progressive care rooms, 16 patient rooms to support a women’s birthing program, shelled space for a future neonatal intensive care unit, a 48-bed emergency department and additional medical and support services including imaging, lab, pharmacy, and cafeteria.

Watson’s medical office building is being constructed adjacent to the hospital.