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TOPIC FOR TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2019:
Why is the new Regional Medical Center being built in Downtown Utica?
Why not build/expand the St. Luke’s Campus?
• The decision to build a new MVHS Regional Medical Center in Downtown Utica was made nearly four years ago after a thorough review of potential locations. Since that decision, significant time, money and resources have been invested into the design of the new regional medical center in Downtown Utica. The St. Luke’s Campus is no longer an option.
- In 2015, 12 different sites in Oneida County, including the St. Luke’s Campus, were identified and evaluated as potential locations for a new regional medical center. A number of factors were examined: size utilities, access, zoning approvals and impact fee, costs, community, and environment.
- The study, conducted by Mohawk Valley EDGE, ELAN Planning/Design/Landscape Architecture, PLLC and O’Brien and Gere (civil engineers), concluded that Downtown Utica was the best location for a new medical center.
- In September 2015, the MVHS Board of Directors chose Downtown Utica as the location for the development of a new medical center.
• The Downtown location for the new medical center was supported by the state as part of a larger initiative to revitalize urban centers in Upstate New York. Because of that state support, MVHS was granted $300 million Health Care Transformation monies. Funds are now being used from that grant to build in Downtown Utica.
- In order to obtain the $300 million Health Care Facility Transformation Grant, the hospital needed to be located in Oneida County’s largest population center, which is the City of Utica.
- In addition to state and regional government support, the Downtown location offers better accessibility because of its location to major highways and public transportation.
• Building at or expanding on the St. Luke’s Campus is not viable for a number of reasons, which include:
- There is not enough adjoining acreage that is not currently being used to support the design of a new medical center. The campus has 64 acres of land and 25 of it are used by the existing hospital. In addition, CRCCS uses 13.5 acres, and there are also other buildings on the site
– the Dental Center, onsite Day Care buildings, and additional buildings that house generators, heating and cooling stations. There are also federally-regulated wetlands on the St. Luke’s Campus.
- The existing St. Luke’s hospital facility is more than 60 years old and could not be updated and expanded to meet the contemporary requirements for hospital services such as private patient rooms to strengthen patient safety and infection control, larger operating rooms to accommodate the latest technology, and a more expansive and redesigned ER to meet all community needs.
- Both MVHS hospital campuses, St. Luke’s and St. Elizabeth, need to be fully functional during the construction of a new medical center in order to meet the needs of our patients and community members.
You can help, please join us on Facebook #NoHospitalDowntown. Also consider adding your voice to Hundreds of People Saying, "No Hospital Downtown". Get to know BUD, that's the future of the Columbia Lafayette Neighborhood!
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