BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A new hospital is set to be built in Fredonia thanks to a $74 million grant from New York State, local politicians announced Monday.
Construction was given the green light for the new Brooks Hospital, which will replace the current 80-year-old facility in Dunkirk. The current 170,000-square-foot hospital holds 65 beds, but only about 18 to 20 are occupied at a time on average, according to a release from State Senator George Borrello. The current hospital currently operates at a deficit of over $20 million a year.
The new hospital will include 15 medical and surgical beds, four surgical suites, two procedural rooms and a helipad, among other amenities. Construction will begin soon, and the hospital is scheduled to open in 2027.
The new project has been in the works since 2016 when Brooks-TLC was awarded a $57 million grant that included both state and federal funds to build a new hospital and to convert TLC Lakeshore into an Ambulatory Destination Center that specialized in chemical dependency.
The project was held up by disagreements over the location of the new hospital, the closure of Lakeshore in 2020 and the pandemic.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said that the project will modernize medicine in Fredonia and northern Chautauqua County as a whole. Local leaders project that the improvements of the new hospital will bring the $20 million deficit closer to break-even status.
“No community should have a healthcare desert,” Hochul said. “You should not have a situation where you need to drive 45 minutes to get to the nearest hospital.”
The new hospital will be under the services of Kaleida Health, which operates seven other hospitals in Western New York and northern Pennsylvania, including Buffalo General Medical Center and Oishei Children’s Hospital.
“This way, Brooks joins the largest healthcare network in Western New York,” Hochul said. “If someone needs specialty care they can go to Buffalo General, they can go to children’s hospital and the transfer will be absolutely seamless.”
“This is a historic moment for our community and a proud one for all of us who have led the charge to bring a new hospital for our community,” Borrello said in a news release. “This will be a game changer for our local healthcare landscape and a quality-of-life asset that will boost the appeal of our area for employers, families, and seniors.”
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.