Fredonia, N.Y. (WBEN) - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was in Chautauqua County on Thursday, joining hospital leadership, community stakeholders and local officials for a ceremonial beam signing at the site for the new Northern Chautauqua Hospital, which will open in Fredonia in 2029.
Thursday's announcement builds on Gov. Hochul’s historic investments in New York’s health care system through significant capital and operating support that strengthen safety net hospitals statewide, in addition to securing the largest Medicaid rate increases in decades.
“Every New Yorker deserves access to essential health services whenever and wherever they need them,” said Gov. Hochul during Thursday's ceremony. “This announcement marks a significant victory for Chautauqua County and its community. We’re continuing to invest in economic expansion and a state-of-the-art healthcare facility is crucial to support this growth. This new facility will provide the quality of care our residents deserve."
The new 15-bed hospital will be over 132,000 square feet, and improve access to emergency, inpatient and outpatient care to residents living in Northern Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Southern Erie counties. Plans include upgrading medical equipment and technology to deliver advanced health care with a more efficient and sustainable facility to provide care.
The hospital will replace Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk once it is completed.
"This hospital was aging. It needed more. It was not up to date, and they needed help. But they also needed a partner. But for a long time, nothing happened. The cries for help fell on deaf ears. But when you get someone from Buffalo sitting in the governor's office, maybe things are a little different, because I know about these hospitals," Gov. Hochul said. "I know about these small communities, and I know about the stresses they're under, and I know what Albany can do to take that stress off, and it just wasn't happening before. No one pushed it forward. No one made it a priority, and I said, 'That era of empty promises is over.' And I said, 'I'm going to step up.' My team stepped up, and we'll build this hospital and protect healthcare for generations to come."
Gov. Hochul committed $124 million to finance the construction of this new hospital, over 50% of the total project cost. The announcement is also enabled by the Safety Net Transformation Program included in the governor’s budget to encourage partnerships that improve the resilience of safety-net institutions by providing strategic capital and operating support, in addition to required regulatory flexibility.
Through this project, Kaleida Health received a $371 million award ($50 million of which is dedicated for the Northern Chautauqua Hospital). Kaleida Health’s broader Safety Net Transformation award will help the health system formalize partnerships with two additional rural hospitals in Western New York (Olean General and Bertrand Chaffee), and make critical infrastructure and modernization upgrades in these rural hospitals to enable greater efficiency and improved continuity of care throughout Western New York.
"This is going to help us be part of this momentum that this area has not felt for such a long time. Because when you have a hospital — Northern Chautauqua Hospital — [it] sends a message, this community really matters," Gov. Hochul said. "And people get here, they'll put down roots, they'll raise their families here, and I cannot wait to see all of you at the next milestone.
"That beam going up is a symbol of stability, of strength, that this is happening. We're not talking anymore. We're building. We're building and we're lifting up. When we lift up the beam, we're lifting up this community. That's what today is all about."
The hospital will replace Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk when it's expected to be opened in 2029
The hospital will replace Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk when it's expected to be opened in 2029
