After more than five years of planning, work is underway to start the construction of the Mohawk Valley Health System's new 672,000-square-foot facility.
MVHS COO Bob Scholefield says the company can finally put shovels in the ground now that it has secured ownership of all of the properties within the footprint of the facility and the funding for the project. The public is being invited to a ceremony to celebrate this milestone on December 12.
"For us, this really is the beginning of what we believe is the future of health care in our region, but more importantly the future of the downtown landscape in the city of Utica," Scholefield said.
MVHS has been removing buildings from the project site since the end of October and plans to continue with the demolitions through the beginning of next year. The need to relocate so many existing downtown businesses and organizations has been a sore topic for some in Utica, who continue to fight the project.
Scholefield expects the community will be able to see some of the hospital's foundation laid by March. Construction is scheduled to be finished by 2023.
