By Douglass Dowty
syracuse.com
SYRACUSE, N.Y. 鈥� Upstate University Hospital would get $200 million for under Gov. Kathy Hochul鈥檚 proposed budget, Assemblyman Al Stirpe confirmed to .
But that鈥檚 less than half of the that Upstate officials 鈥� and Central New York鈥檚 bi-partisan state delegation 鈥� had pushed for.
鈥淚 guess it鈥檚 an OK start, but I don鈥檛 know if it gets us through where we need to be with the ER, the burn center and expanded operating rooms,鈥� Stirpe told . 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we can go under the $450 number.鈥�
In a letter to Hochul last month, Stripe and nine other Central New York lawmakers argued that SUNY Upstate should get the same $450 million for capital improvements that its Brooklyn counterpart, SUNY Downstate, requested.
鈥淭he current ED (emergency department) is over 60 years old and is inadequate for today鈥檚 standards of care and increasing demand,鈥� the lawmakers wrote. 鈥淎 new, up-to-date sound infrastructure is a necessity to treat patients as well as address regional capacity issues and overcrowding, all while balancing the continuum of care.鈥�
Assemblyman William Magnarelli has previously told that Upstate鈥檚 needs are 鈥渢hrough the roof鈥� and said the letter was intended to outline 鈥渉ow grave the situation is.鈥�
Hochul鈥檚 office confirmed to that the two SUNY hospitals would receive $650 million for 鈥渕odernization and revitalization,鈥� with Downstate getting $450 million and Upstate getting $200 million.
For its part, Upstate leadership thanked the governor and said the money was enough to begin needed upgrades.
鈥淭he $200 million outlined in the Executive Budget provides an incredible foundation for the annex plan that will help Upstate address some of its most pressing needs,鈥� the statement reads. 鈥淲ith this support from Governor Hochul and the Legislature, we can begin these essential infrastructure upgrades and recognize Upstate鈥檚 crucial role as the region鈥檚 only Level 1 trauma center and emergency department for adults and children.鈥�
Upstate鈥檚 ER has been notorious for years for being to meet the demand of being the region鈥檚 only Level 1 trauma center. The adult ER has 35 beds to treat the most intense emergencies across 14 counties.
The hospital previously had plans to expand the emergency room into a new tower across East Adams Street from the existing ER. That proposal never came to fruition.
The latest proposal is described as an annex, not a tower, and its location hasn鈥檛 been determined. The hope is that the annex would more than double the capacity of the ER, add more operating rooms and expand the region鈥檚 only burn unit.
Upstate officials haven鈥檛 said how big the new annex might be. It鈥檚 unclear if $200 million is enough to do any of the plans that Upstate is envisioning.
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