2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021
Miscellaneous Comments
Scattered comments we've received from; around the web, surveys, petitions, public comments sessions and beyond... all speaking out against a ruinous Downtown Utica hospital concept. Please also see; #NHD TV and #NHD RADIO. As well as still more Voices Against The Downtown Concept
May 19, 2018 - My older brother is an interventional cardiologist at UVA. He did an advanced fellowship to further study using Robot-Assisted PCI System. He has presented on numerous occasions on the use of using robotics in medicine. He recently interviewed (but did not accept) a position CNY Cardiology. He likes the area and thought bringing such advanced training to CNY would be great for the area.
He was told MVHS has no intention of investing in any new robotics or technology to the hospital. Partly because of cost and because the physicians at MVHS would not understand how to use them. He was told even if he came, MVHS would not acquire the technology...hence why he did not accept the job.
This is purely just building a new building. Not building a state of the art hospital. Paul W. Kohan
February 21, 2018 - I have been watching this page for a while, didn't say anything until I read this... Everyone has their moment where their decision is made which way your going to turn. My decision was made when I read this... Compassion Coalition Inc, "What an incredible week we had!" Compassion coalition. Which helps thousands. That others turn their backs on... Will be shut down for 34 parking spaces? That's insane. Kimberly Strong Yorkville, NY
February 20, 2018 - And yet the Corrupt Politicians and local mobster businesses that will greatly benefit from this project and act in collusion with the politicians to defraud the tax payers go unreported. They continue with their construction businesses, real estate transactions and line their pockets against the wishes of the citizens. From the Federal level down to the local level the depravity of Greed and insanity of never having enough drive these sociopaths ever onward to the destruction of working class citizens who pay for all the wealth made for a handful of people. Joseph Castellano Frankfort, NY
February 20, 2018 - I am firmly against this hospital plan. For one having traveled to multiple hospitals in other cities a downtown hospital does NOT attract more businesses it drives them away. Also this is an some very old homes which could of historic value. Suzanne Smith Bowley Utica, NY
February 18, 2018 - Keeping it Simple . . . so everyone can understand . . . A K.I.S.S. for Our New Hospital! by Frank Montecalvo New York Mills, NY
Submitted Email Comments
February 15, 2018 - Like Nano, it's another scam to draw in a huge project we don't need so that politically-connected contractors can skim money off the top. Fixing up the existing hospitals is necessary, for sure, but there isn't as much money slushing around in a series of renovations as there is in A Shiny New Thing. Tearing up a historic downtown is weirdly neutral to them, actually, all they care about is a project big enough to really squirrel away the bribes and over-runs and... tearing up downtown is the easiest place to make a new White Elephant so there they are. Mike Cecconi, Little Falls, NY
January 6, 2018 - The United States (DOT) in 2012 created an EMERGENCY RESPONSE GUIDEBOOK for 1st responders during the initial phase of-Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials transportation incident. It designates a ½ mile radius on any train track route used to transport flammable oil & toxic materials as an Evacuation~“RED ZONE”.
However, that has not halted a ring of overbearing elected officials & community leaders to build a Utica hospital downtown, within that known Train Toxic Spill-Evacuation “RED ZONE”. Building a Utica hospital downtown is like knowingly building a Nuclear Power Plant on a dormant volcano site or earthquake fault line.
However, the back-room relentless aggressive tactics that have been used, from the beginning by this group to spend a half billion dollars to build in an Evacuation~“RED ZONE”, rank at the top of reckless & sinister schemes to date. Hundreds of bed-ridden patients & people on operating tables would be trapped.
A St. Luke’s~College Medical Center is the true vision. However, citizens are continually threatened that if the hospital is not built in the Evacuation~RED ZONE it will not be built anywhere. Would Governor Cuomo allow them to continue, if he knew? Let him know: +1(518)474-8390, 9AM to 5PM. Frank Vescera, Utica
May 11, 2017 - I think the real question is not only how is the hospital going to impact downtown, but also, how is the hospital going to persevere and sustain itself without partnering with a larger health care system. The MVHS is has issues retaining specialists and primary care physician, also multiple physicians are leaving. Are they assuming just because the new hospital will “look” pretty, that it is going to attract professionals who want to locate upstate? I know that is not going to happen. I have worked for several medical practices who have issues attracting candidates to this area due to the depressed nature and lack of malls, services, etc. Even if the surgeon is interested, the wife and family usually have the last say…… It is areas like downtown, or what downtown will be, that attract them and even that is not enough! Just hoping for “if you build it they will come” is not enough. Name Withheld
Website Contact Form [Submitted on 03/06/2017 – 6:28pm]
Submitted by anonymous user: [172.79.41.237]
Submitted values are
Your Name: Nick Polce
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Hospital in Utica Message:
Mr. Picente , Please consider putting the New Hospital where the old GE building is on Broad st. It would be a great spot for it with exposure to Rt 5s while getting rid of the eye sore down there. It would make a lot more sense. Thank you for your time.
May 29, 2016 - Totally against the hospital going downtown. What about the aging sewer and water lines ? Can they handle the obvious impact this will have? Here sits St Luke's with lots of land and little that would have to be bought out to make room. All political! June C.
November 29, 2016 - I have not spoken to a single doctor or nurse who has said that the downtown location is better…and ,every single one has said that St Luke’s is better due to the suburban/country surroundings providing an atmosphere more conducive to healing. Choose one; "Economic development" or "Healing". If you are are in the calling of healing, St Luke’s is the place. If you’re “strictly from commercial”, then put it downtown and to heck with “healing”. If your calling is healing, and we really NEED a new hospital, get busy and build it where you don’t have to jump through a bunch of commercial hoops to get going. If we don’t need a hospital badly enough for you to get started immediately and with urgency- then the need is not great enough and the citizens are being bullshitted. If the need is enough to rise to the standard of urgency and you are not proceeding, it could be said that you are not working on behalf of the injured and sick. .and in so NOT doing, are violating your Hippocratic Oath and “DOING HARM” You have taken OUR money which we entrust to the state, temporarily, as taxes in return for services. Since you have our money, we have a say in this, if not the final say through our temporary representatives in government, with our direct advice and consent. Tom L.
November 19, 2016 - Log in a "no" to the downtown hospital. As one suburbanite among many, it would be a hassle. Alternate for us would be to go to Rome Memorial. Bev S.
March 3, 2016 - Dear Senator Griffo, I agree there is a need for a new Hospital in the Greater Utica Area. However, I don't agree that the Downtown location should be the only consideration if that location proves financially viable. The projected cost for the Downtown location $500 million to $600 million. What is the projected cost for the backup site at the St. Lukes Campus in New Hartford? Obviously, someone dropped the ball. One Hundred million dollars is a lot of money to be asking the Taxpayers to absorb with no explanation or input on how it is going to be utilized. Sundays, January 24, article in the Utica Observer Dispatch accurately represents the views of everyone I have talked to concerning the proposal for a new Hospital in the Utica area which encompasses more than Downtown Utica. Fast forward to Wednesdays, February 24, 2016 Utica O. D. article on missing pieces holding up hospital funds. I can understand your frustration, but you obviously became so caught up in the small town political environment that you lost site of the bigger picture which is who is providing the $300 million State allocation. I commend Governor Cuomo and his adept staff in putting this funding on hold until the proposed plan for a new hospital, including parking , are to be implemented , the projected costs within a reasonable amount, not millions and providing this information to the Public at public forums throughout the Villages and Towns that will be utilizing the hospital . Sincerely, Bill Wood, Whitesboro, NY (See Page 333)
Online Petition Comments
Rick B. - Follow the Utica Master Plan and keep health care viable in the Mohawk Valley. Site the new hospital at the St. Luke's location; annex it if you want it in Utica. Downtown is a mistake for many reasons -- infastructure; zoning (business on first floor, residential above).
MR S. - I can't believe they just don't add to current St Luke's campus instead of tearing up what's left of good old downtown.
paul k. - there is no viable reason to put it downtown just to line the pockets of utica's politicians.build at st.lukes-the county/city just needs to annex the land from new hartford
(name not displayed) - No reason not to build on St. Luke's Campus where acres are available. Utica College, directly across the street from St. Luke's Hospital has a Utica address. If it must be built in Utica, it makes economic sense to annex the acreage, St. Luke's already owns, into Utica.
Karin R. - Save the building and history of the area.
Kathleen S. - As a retired physician, I see the trend of physicians building their own private surgical centers and discharge as soon as possible from a hospital. Physician owned centers for eye care, gastroenterology, dermatology, dialysis centers, oncology and urology have a limited scope of medical treatment, patients receive treatment coming and leaving in hours. This trend maximizes profits for the physicians who have control over most factors in patient care. Hospitals remain for the most acutely ill patients with hospitalists providing the expertise to care for the very ill patient who may have several medical conditions. These patients are very costly for a hospital and in the past the expenses were offset by the patients who were in and out for simple procedures, tonsillectomy, hernia repair, simple gynecologic procedures. This is not the trend. I am very concerned that this will be an expensive boondoggle for my beloved hometown. Where are physicians going to come from? This downtown hospital is a colossal mistake perhaps driven by some outdated vision. About upgrading the neighborhoods around hospitals; that just doesn't seem to be true. The traffic and ambulance sirens do not draw most people to choose an apartment or home near a hospital. Please don't do this.
Ramon R. - I believe that hiring more nurses and doctors for the hospital that we already have in Utica. Also the city of Utica need more job employment for the people of Utica and medical insurance. The city of Utica don't need a new Hospital....
Russ S. - Building a new hospital downtown makes no sense at all. Why have to purchase land and properties, demolish buildings and have to deal with potential contamination issues when you have more than enough room at the existing st. Luke's campus. The money would be better spent renovating the existing facilities and adding on at the st. Luke's campus.
Boyd B. - Hospitals don't work downtown. They're perfect where they are. Don't want 40 businesses disturbed just so politicians have their way. Politicians don't have the same stake in Utica the we with businesses have.
Linda N. - I can see all kinds of problems arising by moving to downtown, such as one way streets and lack of parking. Why can't this be put up for a public vote?
(name not displayed) - Shouldn't a matter as big as this be decided by the people that live here?
(name not displayed) - How about letting the people who pay the politicians salaries decide where the hospital should go.
Cynthia M. - My retail store location of 36 years will dramatically impacted by this project. We have been paying sales, school, city and county taxes and there has been no consideration to what this will do to us. If we leave the money pay monthly, quarterly and yearly to the city will go with us.
(name not displayed) - Hospital complexes are often anti-urban, exactly the wrong thing to restore the walkable downtown that Utica was, and could be, again.
Susan E J. - Our political leaders should not decide on our quality of health.St. Elizabeth hospital ranked 19 best hospital in NY state.
Gina M. - I believe if a new hospital is truly necessary, not just a reflexive grab for state funds, that a comprehensive study examining all pros and cons of brand new vs existing buildings and land at the current st. Luke's site, must be undertaken and made public.
Elaine H. - Ground up development of a downtown hospital is totally unnecessary. Why not expansion/upgrade of the current St Lukes campus?
Justine P. - There is no upside to locating a new hospital downtown. I would like to see a list of points that influenced this decision.
(name not displayed) - Please sign this petition. There should be a public vote where the hospital should go, as it is the public who will be utilizing it.
Michael S. - Use the money for infrastructure. Fix the roads, the sewers, all the broken traffic lights. Please visit www.nohospitaldowntown.com
Jennifer P. - Why not build the new hospital next to St. Lukes where there is plenty of land, and it is easily accessible? Can aging infrastructure in Utica support a new hospital there -- water, sewer, roads?
Pat E. - There is absolutely no advantage to making one huge hospital and closing 3 more easily accessible smaller ones!
Heather G. - As a RN, please stop the MVHS monopoly! Utica is small enough that the 2 current hospitals are sufficient.
Michael A. - Putting a hospital downtown makes no sense. It's like when they built many of the arenas in downtown locations thinking that their mere presence there would create instant urban renewal all around them. Can't the city hire a planner?
(name not displayed) - Please, No more chaos with hospitals in Utica.
Michael B. - This downtown plan is flawed in so many ways. It smacks of the 1950s - 1960s "Urban Renewal" mentality that was so devastating for Utica, Rome, and many other smaller, "marginal" cities. Rather than applying more modern planning ideals, it flies in the face of tremendous progress that has been realized and hard-fought by local entrepreneurs and establishments toward a new Renaissance downtown. We need people living downtown for it to be vibrant, and I'm pleased to hear that the Purcell housing plan has been approved. The downtown hospital plan will NOT help downtown businesses much and will not result in a net gain in people living downtown as we will only be consolidating and relocating existing jobs from three facilities down to one.
Kevin M. - If you lose your job at the new hospital you will be unemployed for ever unless you move to Syracuse ST E's will be in a law suit soon
Frank M. - Permanent removal of 34 acres from Utica's tax rolls, dislocation and non-reimbursable losses to many small businesses, and blockages of at least two major streets, all will make Utica less fiscally sustainable. The negative impacts will extend well beyond the hospital's downtown footprint.
John F. - A new hospital might be a good thing, but the proposed location downtown is a bad idea for the hospital, for downtown, and most of all for the users of the hospital (patients and the employees).
SCOTT T. - Sewer lines in the city are 150 years old, use the money for infrastructure. Current hospitals are underutilized.
Richard W. - The present large St. Luke's campus provides a more logical and certainly more cost effective site for new hospital buildings. Downtown not only is too small, too near the railroad tracks, it requires city expense in moving the police and fire departments. Downtown is a boondoggle.
Geoge C. - I see no logic in situating a hospital in the center of downtown where there is already a viable business district that cannot be relocated to any other part of this city, while destroying its character, charm and history. There are so many other more suitable, better, and more convenient locations available where this hospital will be of far greater benefit to our community.
lynne m. - Keep the scale of our city as it was originally designed. The world is seeking authenticity. We have been regrowing our city for the past 25 years without the help of political projects. Let the people's work continue the wonderful transition they have begun.
Kelly M. - Please don't ruin our beautiful city. The hospital will bring a huge mess to downtown Utica. We need to preserve it with its small businesses and beauty.
Joe C. - I can't see anything positive by relocating 30 + businesses in a area that has started to redevelop on it's own to put a non-profit hospital here. That same hospital can be built at the present site that would compliment the existing structures, Utica College and not disrupt the flow of downtown Utica.
Craig M. - I urge any of the parties involved in the choice of the hospital location to consider the loss of our history and the limits to our future a downtown location will perpetuate. Please consider the implications of a downtown location that will be affecting generations of Utica residents to come. This includes loss of real estate for entertainment and recreational development; loss of historic buildings significant to the development of Utica; loss of East-West traffic flow; separation of Utica's downtown brewery and entertainment districts and many other unforeseen effects that are bound to come as a result. I hope that our public officials and the MVHS board will not abandon many great opportunities that may be explored downtown in hopes of a quick shock to the system that may not resonate. I would ask our elected officials to solicit public opinions on this matter and to encourage input from the people of the area so that the path we choose downtown is one that leads Utica to recapture and REMEMBER the prosperity it once enjoyed.
Steve Z. - This will lead to losses of jobs from the now merged hospitals. It will also lead to the losses of tax revenue from current tax paying businesses that will be forced to move out of the city, maybe for good. One must ask themselves why, if this is so good for the city, and so many people are against it, then, why hasn't this been put to a vote, and let the very taxpayers that will be footing the bill for this, decide if this is indeed "good for the city"? What are they afraid of? Maybe that many more people see through the smokescreen and realize just how much MORE this will truly cost this area?
Rick B. - This will have a negative impact not only on Utica, but on the towns and villages of our region.
More voices, video and essays speaking out against the ruinous Downtown Utica hospital concept are here on; #NHD Voices, on #NHD RADIO, and on #NHD TV.
Meets At:
▪ Tramontane Cafe Wednesdays 10-11:00AM
▪ Citation Services Fridays 4:30-5:30PM
Contact us for more information
