Rochester will be home to a hospital emergency department the likes of which have never been seen.
That’s according to officials who spoke during a groundbreaking held Friday for a 650,000 square foot expansion of Strong Memorial Hospital.
Sarah Mangelsdorf, University of Rochester President, said that, “The expansion of Strong Emergency Department is the largest project in our university's history, and, even in our region, it is creating an estimated 6,700 construction jobs and 1,800 permanent jobs.”
Through the project, the combined size of the Emergency Department and the Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program will more than triple.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans was among the many dignitaries to speak at Friday’s event. He said Strong's growth will be transformative in the region, both for its public health and economic benefits.
Assemblymember Harry Bronson, another local Democrat, said this expansion started with a vision of not only what emergency care should be, but what it could be.
``It is a vision of the state-of-the-art facility that is going to also have the most recent advancements in medicine, not only physical health care, but mental health care as well, said Bronson.”
Mark Taubman, URMC CEO, said this marks a new beginning for Strong Memorial.
``We're expanding and modernizing our facility to meet the care needs of our region well into the 21st century,” said Taubman.
This will be the largest capital project in the history of the University of Rochester, with the project expected to cost at least $650 million. Funding includes a $50 million state grant and a $1 million federal grant.
The expansion will add a new, nine-story patient tower, including not only more room for the emergency department, but more than 100 private inpatient private inpatient rooms, and floors for future operating rooms and treatment services.
URMC officials said the project will help address chronic bed shortages and emergency department overcrowding that the local community has faced for years.
The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
