Strong Memorial Hospital is announcing plans for a major expansion project. It will add more than 200 examination/treatment and patient observation stations.
The $641 million-dollar multi-year project will include a tower extension and updates to the current emergency department.
That would happen in phases with plans also including a new 9-story inpatient tower, set for completion in 2027, which will add more space for the emergency department and more than 100 private inpatient rooms.
Hospital officials said that both parts of this project will help address chronic bed shortages and overcrowding in the emergency department which the community has faced for years, and was further highlighted during the COVID pandemic.
Strong’s Chief Operating Officer, Kathy Parrinello, said the COVID-19 pandemic further reinforced why this project is necessary.
“Today, we have over 100 semi-private rooms, meaning over 200 patients are in those rooms," said Parrinello. "That is not good in a pandemic...So the infection control issues that we addressed during the pandemic are certainly going to be benefited by this building.”
The Strong expansion project will be the most comprehensive modernization project since 1975, according to Steven Goldstein, CEO and President of Strong Memorial and Highland hospitals, said that most floors in the current patient tower will begin being renovated during construction of the new tower, so that all patients will have modern, private rooms.
Goldstein said the closing of St. Mary's and Genesee hospitals more than 20 years ago increased the number of patients coming to Strong's emergency department. He said the new update will better meet the needs of the community.
"It's really a tribute to Dr. (Michael) Kamali and the emergency medicine team that they been able to take care more than 100,000 patients annually when the original ED was actually constructed for about 66,000,” said Goldstein.
Renovation of the existing hospital will continue as modernization is needed after the expansion project is complete.
