Gov. Kathy Hochul has confirmed SUNY Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y., will receive the full $450 million it previously requested to upgrade and expand its emergency department, a spokesperson with the governor’s office confirmed to ABC affiliate WSYR-TV May 6.
Four details:
- The hospital, the only level 1 trauma center in the region, had initially requested the $450 million in January to support critical infrastructure upgrades to its 60-year-old ED.
- In a draft version of the state budget for fiscal 2026, Ms. Hochul allocated more than $200 million for upgrades at SUNY Upstate, saying it was enough to start construction. During budget negotiations, state lawmakers pushed for the full $450 million, saying it was necessary to adequately address overcrowding at one of the state’s busiest trauma centers.
- The money will be used to build a hospital annex that will house an expanded ED, enhanced burn unit and additional operating rooms.
- “Every New Yorker deserves access to high-quality healthcare where and when they need it most,” Ms. Hochul’s office said in the May 6 statement to WSYR.
“Central New York is poised for tremendous growth and SUNY Upstate must be ready to serve the tens of thousands of people who will call this region home. That is why Gov. Hochul worked with the Legislature to deliver a budget that protects access to care and positions SUNY Upstate to meet the needs of the future with $450 million for its proposed expansion.”
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