GOWANDA - Those who drive along Memorial Drive will be noticing some changes. Demolition on the old Tri-County Memorial Hospital began Monday morning.
"The demolition of Tri-County Memorial Hospital is a long-awaited undertaking that evokes mixed emotions for many of us as we move beyond the disaster that struck this community," Lake Erie Regional Health System CEO Jonathan Lawrence said.
Demolition on the property started on the south end of the building closer to the Aldrich Street outlet. The hospital was victim to the flood of 2009 that severely damaged the hospital. A new hospital will be built on Route 39 in the town of Perrysburg. It is unclear when the new hospital will break ground. New York state has to approve statement of need that was submitted, according to Scott Butler, vice president of marketing and community relations for Lake Erie Regional Health System.
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Tri-County demo
The demolition process began back over the summer. FEMA approvals were needed as well as environmental assessments surveys, historical preservation and hazardous material assessments were needed. The building was found to have asbestos as with any older building.
"(The building) definitely had asbestos components, but we had a highly qualified team," Butler said.
Teams working in hazmat suits helped contain the asbestos before the demolition started. A continuous spray of water was sent onto the structure during demolition to limit the amount of dust produced.
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Demolition of Tri-County Memorial Hospital in Gowanda began Monday.
The hospital was also home to many historical items such as memorial plaques. Butler said most of the old memorial plaques within the hospital were able to be saved.
"We saved quite a few of the original memorial plaques," he said.
Some of the plaques were wood, however, and were not able to be saved due to water damage from the flood and some were not able to be saved, Butler said. Those that were not able to be saved, individual pieces bronze pieces of the plaques, were able to be taken off individually. Currently, a plan is being developed to incorporate these pieces in the design for the new hospital.
Demolition is scheduled to be completed by May, weather permitting. After complete demolition, the site will be seeded and graded to return the space to a park -ike setting.
"We now begin the work of restoring the site, inspired by the legacy of Tri-County Memorial Hospital as we look to the future with a renewed sense of anticipation, hope and optimism for our community," Lawrence said.
Comments on this article may be sent to smcdonnell@observertoday.com.
Comments on this article may be sent to smcdonnell@observertoday.com.
