According to Brooks Memorial Hospital’s top official, the hospital would need a new facility sooner or later. But according to a presentation from the hospital’s planners and engineers, it will be sooner.

Brooks and its partner Kaleida Health held a meeting Wednesday at the Days Inn in Fredonia for public officials about the future facility’s needs.

Local, state and federal representatives were in attendance for the presentation by Clark Patterson Lee engineers John Hall and J. Joseph Hanss and consultant John Downes from Stroudwater Associates.

“We want to continue this transparent and fluid process to discuss the future of health care in northern Chautauqua County. … We really appreciate your interest in our future,” Brooks Board President Christopher Lanski said by way of introduction.

Lanski said the next steps will be to evaluate potential sites and in one month’s time have a prioritized list.

Downes, Hanss and Hall explained the criteria to local leaders in order to solicit suggestions beyond the handful they have already received and evaluated.

Site selection will be based on infrastructure, access, convenience and regulations.

Infrastructure includes site characteristics like slope, public utilities like water and sewer access, location on a main road, environmental review of previous uses, geotechnical analysis of underground conditions, stormwater management and regulatory approvals of the 10 or so agencies that will be involved in approving the facility, from local zoning to the state health department.

“Without the right infrastructure, it doesn’t matter how great a site is for everything else. It could meet every possible need that we could want, if you can’t put a hospital there, it’s not going to work as a site. So, infrastructure is really that bottom line criteria – does it work or does it not,” Downes explained.

Access criteria are not just limited to that for patients and staff, but also helicopters, ambulances and supply deliveries by 18-wheeler.

Convenience, as a criteria, means being close to the community, but also quantifying the impact on the community, taking advantage of nearby services like dialysis and other partnership opportunities and adopting an “outpatient mindset.”

Regulatory is included for the many requirements imposed by the different levels of government. This is especially true when it comes to different hospital designations. However, Brooks has not pinned down what designation it would seek with the new facility.

It was explained the proposed two-story, 29-bed facility with 600 parking spots will need a minimum acreage for the project of 25 acres. Based on the patients served by Brooks and other area hospitals, the engineers had also outlined a preferred area for the new hospital, which encompasses Dunkirk, Fredonia and parts of the towns of Dunkirk, Pomfret, Sheridan and Hanover.

Assemblyman Andy Goodell asked about the reason for needing 25 acres. Hanss responded this is because of requirements demanded by federal parking guidelines as well as the need for space for a helipad, retention pond and the possibility of a doctor’s office onsite.

Hall noted the current hospital sits on about 8 acres. He added, after looking at other non-urban hospitals’ footprints, at least 25 acres seems to be what would be needed with the option of future expansion.

“I think if you look at old facilities across New York state and the challenges they present and today’s new technology, recruitment efforts for providers, it would be almost impossible for us to continue in a building like this. We probably could for a few years, but it’s just one of those things, either you do it now or you do it later and when you start look at trying to maintain community services as well as access, sooner is better than later,” Brooks CEO Mary LaRowe said.

Hanss also noted the changes in requirements for patient privacy and dignity since the Central Avenue hospital built.

Although some criteria are flexible, Hall noted the two-story footprint planned is ideal for operations.

“There’s a balance from a cost point of view. … If it continued in one story it would probably cost more than if you begin to stack it more. … (Three stories) could be an option if we didn’t have the acreage. We did look at a three story option, but what it does is it splits the ideal relationship between what I call the ‘big four,’ which is emergency, radiology, surgery and labs; you want those four things altogether.” Hall, who has worked with Brooks and Lake Shore for years, as well as having experience building new hospitals, explained.

Reuse of the old facility was also questioned. Kaleida Vice President of Public Affairs and Marketing Michael Hughes assured officials Kaleida has a great record of reuse with the hospitals and nursing homes it has consolidated in Buffalo. It was also mentioned using the facility for other health care services has not been ruled out.

County Executive Vince Horrigan asked when the new hospital will be in operation. Lanski said March 2018. Kaleida officials explained that is a state-imposed deadline for the $57 million funding, which is also the reason for the fast pace.

Goodell also clarified that with this timeline the hospital cannot secure property through eminent domain.

Fredonia Mayor Athanasia Landis came prepared with one suggest location in hand. As a physician by trade, she said the criteria “makes sense.”

Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas was unable to attend the meeting, but sent two representatives and said his team is working on finding locations in the city that would fit the hospital’s needs.

Municipal leaders and private property owners that believe they have viable sites that meet the criteria listed can email Hanss at jhanss@clarkpattersonlee.com.