Catholic Health broke ground today on the new Lockport Memorial Hospital, which will become an eastern campus of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. Located off South Transit Rd. between Shimer Rd. and Ruhlmann Rd., the new hospital will be built on a large portion of Hall’s Apple Farm, an area landmark that will maintain its longstanding market.

“This is an exciting day for Catholic Health and the entire Lockport community,” said Mark A. Sullivan, President & CEO of Catholic Health. “We are beginning a new chapter for healthcare in Eastern Niagara County as we build a hospital of the future that will preserve access to needed medical care for more than 80,000 people across the region.”

In July, the Town of Lockport Planning Board approved Catholic Health’s site plans for the new hospital while the NYS Department of Health granted the health system’s Certificate of Need (CON) application. With local and state approval, acquisition of the land, and other regulatory approvals, Catholic Health is moving forward with the project constructing a 60,000 square foot “neighborhood hospital” and a variety of physician offices. The hospital will house state-of-the-art emergency, inpatient medical, imaging, and laboratory services as well as office space for primary care, women’s health, and other specialty medical practices. The neighborhood hospital concept creates a hospital that is right-sized for the local community providing emergency care and other needed services.

“We are eager to get this important project off the ground and realize our vision for a more sustainable hospital model that will benefit individuals, families and businesses throughout Eastern Niagara County for years to come,” said Joyce Markiewicz, Catholic Health Executive Vice President & Chief Business Development Officer, who is leading the hospital project. “We know the local community, government leaders, and our many generous donors are as excited as we are to see the new Lockport Memorial Hospital begin to take shape.”

Catholic Health and Mount St. Mary’s Hospital have engaged the architectural firm Clark Patterson Lee to design the new hospital. M/E Engineering will serve as the project engineer and The Pike Company will provide construction management. Plans call for developing 22 acres on the apple farm property, which will include the hospital, 8,000 square feet of medical office space, a 278-car surface parking lot, adjacent helipad for emergency transport, and entrance off Shimer Road.

Catholic Health will continue its management agreement with Eastern Niagara Hospital until Lockport Memorial Hospital opens its doors as a Campus of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. At that time, Eastern Niagara will close under the terms of its bankruptcy. The new Lockport Memorial Hospital is expected to open during the second quarter of 2023.