A long journey appears to be reaching an end. On Monday, Kaleida Health announced that initial site work on the new $224 million state-of-the-art new hospital will begin on East Main Street in Fredonia.

This month marks 10 years since the project was first announced. It has been a long time coming.

“It’s exciting to be underway. We are deeply grateful to Gov. Kathy Hochul for her continued support of this project,” said Don Boyd, president and chief executive officer of Kaleida Health. “This investment in our new hospital will ensure that individuals and families in Chautauqua County and nearby communities can receive high-quality care close to home. It’s a transformative and meaningful step toward a healthier, more resilient future for our Southern Tier region, and we appreciate the governor’s partnership in making it a reality.”

Of course, the new micro-hospital will be much smaller — and more efficient — than the current site on Central Avenue. Included in the one-story, 133,000-square-foot location will be 15 medical-surgical beds; a 16-bay emergency department; five observation beds; primary care and specialty services clinics; three operating rooms and three procedure rooms; an imaging suite; a pharmacy, laboratory and other support services. The hospital also will have a helipad for emergency patient arrivals.

Completion is targeted for 2028 — and even though there is snow covering 412 E. Main St. today, there soon will be shovels and much more activity at the grounds in the coming weeks.