Catholic Health Dedicates New Lockport Memorial Hospital
Today, Catholic Health leaders were joined by invited guests and local dignitaries to unveil the new Lockport Memorial Hospital following a blessing and dedication ceremony led by The Most Reverend Michael W. Fisher, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Catholic Health first announced plans to build the new “neighborhood” hospital in Lockport nearly three years ago to ensure more than 80,000 residents in the surrounding community would continue to have access to high quality healthcare following the closure of Eastern Niagara Hospital.
“With the pandemic raging around us, and Eastern Niagara Hospital on the verge of closing, Catholic Health did not hesitate to step up,” said Catholic Health President & CEO Joyce Markiewicz during the dedication ceremony. “While we knew it would be a long and challenging journey, we were guided by the belief that the residents of this community deserve a hospital to serve their healthcare needs for years to come…and now it’s here!”
The 60,000 square-foot facility, which is a campus of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston, will be opening on October 10 at 8 a.m. Lockport Memorial features an 18-bed full-service Emergency Department; 10-bed inpatient unit with the ability to expand to 20 beds; diagnostic imaging and laboratory services, including blood draw; and medical offices for primary care, women’s health, and specialty care services, which are slated to open by the end of October. Mount St. Mary’s temporary emergency room at 5875 S. Transit Road in Lockport, which has been serving the community since mid-June, is set to close at 8 a.m. on October 10 to coincide with the opening of the Emergency Department at Lockport Memorial.
“This is an exciting time for Catholic Health, Mount St. Mary’s Hospital, and families throughout Eastern Niagara County,” said CJ Urlaub, Catholic Health Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Integration, and Care Delivery in Niagara County and President of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. “We are proud to expand our services across Niagara County and would like to thank everyone throughout our organization who worked so hard to bring this project to fruition.”
The hospital is located at 6001 Shimer Drive on a portion of land that was previous part of Hall’s Apple Farm, a local landmark in the Lockport community. Catholic Health secured bond financing, public and private grants, and charitable donations to help fund the $70 million project. New York State invested more than $30 million to fund the new hospital, support Mount St. Mary’s temporary emergency room, and ensure continuity of care at Eastern Niagara Hospital for much of the construction. Former Congressman Chris Jacobs secured $2 million in funding for the project.
“There are so many people to thank for making this project a reality,” Markiewicz continued. “From Governor Kathy Hochul and our New York State legislative delegation, led by Senator Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Michael Norris; to our Niagara County and Lockport government leaders; the New York State Department of Health and Lockport Planning Board; the generous donors, who recognized the need for a hospital in this community; and all the members of our Catholic Health family, who brought this facility to life.”
Niagara County and Lockport government leaders; the New York State Department of Health and Lockport Planning Board; the generous donors, who recognized the need for a hospital in this community; and all the members of our Catholic Health family, who brought this facility to life.”
“The state investment in this project again shows the commitment Governor Hochul and the Department of Health have made to improving health care infrastructure and public health across New York State,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “The opening of Lockport Memorial Hospital will improve health care within this community, and I’m honored that we played a role in making this a reality. I congratulate Catholic Health for this wonderful unveiling, and I commend the organization for their dedication to providing residents with more access to quality medical services.”
“It’s no small task building a brand new hospital from the ground up and filling it with top notch doctors, nurses, therapists, aides, and staff – but that’s exactly what Catholic Health has done here,” said New York Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt. “The healthcare industry has faced many challenges since the pandemic and providing essential services has become increasingly difficult, yet Lockport Memorial Hospital has been constructed in an effort to overcome those challenges and fill the gaps of desperately needed healthcare coverage in the region. I look forward to the many years of outstanding service this hospital will provide to the residents of Lockport and surrounding areas.”
“I am proud to have worked with local and state officials to make the opening of this facility a reality,” said New York State Assembly member Michael J. Norris. “ This is an example of government entities working together to ensure Niagara County residents had access to life-saving medical care throughout this transition. Today, we are able to celebrate the opening of a first-class facility that will benefit our community, provide critical care, and save lives for years to come. I commend Catholic Health for their commitment to Eastern Niagara County and for opening this new facility to better serve our community and expand access to medical services.”
Major charitable donations came from the Grigg Lewis Foundation, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, John R. Oishei Foundation, First Niagara Foundation in partnership with KeyBank, M&T Charitable Foundation, Margaret L. Wendt Foundation, Eastern Niagara Hospital Guild, Collins Family Foundation, and Glenn and Sandra Miller.
The neighborhood hospital model creates a multi-purpose healthcare facility to meet the needs of area residents. “While this has been a challenging time for healthcare providers everywhere, rural hospitals have been hit particularly hard because the old models of the past are simply not viable today,” Markiewicz explained. “When we developed our plans for Lockport Memorial, we knew we had to create something that was sustainable for the long term. With emergency, inpatient, diagnostic, and physician services, Lockport Memorial Hospital will be able to care for patients when they are sick or injured, provide primary and specialty care to help people maintain their health, and, when needed, offer direct access to the advanced medical and surgical services available throughout Catholic Health.”
The hospital was designed by the architectural firm Clark Patterson Lee. M/E Engineering served as the project engineer and The Pike Company provided construction management. Plans are currently underway to create an emergency vehicle access road from Route 93, the Lockport Bypass, to expedite hospital access for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
