The original timeline for Brooks to find a location for a new hospital is out the window, but officials don’t seem concerned with the delay.

“We are continuing to explore our options. … It has taken us longer because the process must be conducted completely. No decisions have been made, and we are hopeful of announcing progress in the near future,” Kaleida Vice President of Public Affairs and Marketing Michael Hughes said in a recent email to the OBSERVER.

Brooks Memorial Hospital and TLC Health Network – Lake Shore Health Care Center received $57 million from the Essential Healthcare Provider Support Program that demands transformation by March 2018. A majority of the money will go toward Brooks’ plans for a new, modern hospital and Lake Shore’s new focus will be on providing outpatient services as well as needed specialty services.

“As for the timeline for the impact on the grant, we are still OK for now.  The (New York State Department of Health) is aware of our situation, so the timeline isn’t an issue,” Hughes added.

In the original timeframe,  a list of locations was supposed be announced in October.

At that time Hughes said over a dozen locations were being evaluated against desired criteria.

That criteria includes approximately 25 acres with access to public utilities that is close to the community Brooks serves as well as complementary services that would accommodate the proposed two-story structure, 600 parking spaces and helipad for the new, 29-bed, out-patient-minded facility.

Known sites that were submitted for review are the former Lake Erie Regional Grape Research and Extension facility on East Main Street in Fredonia, privately-owned property near Jamestown Community College on Bennett Road in the town of Dunkirk and several sites proposed by the city of Dunkirk’s Department of Development within city limits.

Dunkirk Mayor Willie Rosas said he has been in contact with Brooks officials, but has not heard any news about a new site. However, he did have information on the current hospital building.  “I have inquired to them if they have plans for this site here in the city that they’re leaving and they have assured me they will have some kind of plan. They haven’t told me what it would be, but they have said there would be some type of redevelopment on their behalf,” he said.