Consulting firm makes recommendations for MVHS campuses

UTICA, N.Y. — The St. Elizabeth campus of the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) in Utica has the “best potential redevelopment uses” that include small retail or office space, as well as housing.

The road frontage along Genesee Street makes the St. Elizabeth campus “attractive” for housing and mixed-use options.

In addition, the St. Luke’s campus in New Hartford could be redeveloped as housing for educational institutions and/or related mixed-use development of retail or restaurant space.

Those conclusions were part of a report on a repurposing study of the three main MVHS campuses that the health system released Tuesday. The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties was also involved in the effort.

MVHS has broken ground on construction of its upcoming hospital in downtown Utica.

MVHS in February 2019 said it would work with CHA Consulting, Inc. for an evaluation of the potential repurposing of its current facilities. Albany–based CHA is an engineering consulting firm that also operates an office in Syracuse.

The report also noted that CHA is recommending that MVHS continue to own and operate the Faxton campus. Given split zoning and size of existing parcels, together with the use of the facility as currently operated by MVHS, redevelopment options for the Faxton campus “would be limited for any future owner,” per the report.

“The findings in this report are an important step in ensuring that the existing MVHS campuses continue to enhance their neighborhoods, either through appropriate redevelopment or, in the case of Faxton, as a part of MVHS’s regional commitment to healthcare,” Robert Scholefield, executive VP of facilities and real estate at MVHS, said in a statement. “We will use this report as the basis for exploring the best possible outcomes, as we engage residents and other constituents in this process.”

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com