What to do with Gates Circle Hospital

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Millard Fillmore Hospital will move from Gates Circle to the growing Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus next year. Kaleida wants suggestions on what to do with the hulking building when the hospital moves out.

It is 800,000 square feet and come next year, the massive hospital will stand empty. With the services and staff moving to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, the future of this building is up in the air. That's why Kaleida Health is looking to the Urban Land Institute, which will give recommendations following a public forum.

Michael Beyard of the Urban Land Institute said, "One is a complete re-use of the existing facility, one is a partial tear down, and one is a complete tear down with re-development at a different scale."

The not-for-profit group brought in an eight member out-of-town panel to hear from the interested public.

Ted Walsh of the Hospital Steering Committee said, "Some of the best ideas come when they come at you many times, and so we've decided to have an open transparent process and really listen and learn."

The Urban Land Institute panel will interview dozens of people over the next two days and then review the possibilities of the building itself. Local planner Dave Stebbins has been part of an institute panel in other cities.

"This is all new to them and that's one of the beauties of the Urban Land Institute panel, they really kinda come to it with an open mind and objective standpoint," said Stebbins.

And they'll listen to everyone who has an interest in the Millard Fillmore Hospital site. Roberta Evans lives nearby, and says she hopes, "That we don't end up, again, with an empty dinosaur."

Kathy Boyd spent 30 years working at the hospital and knows how great the views are.

"We are curious, we want a condo! If they're making condos, I've got my name on one," said Boyd.

The panel will present its findings to the Hospital Steering Committee Friday morning, which will be public. That committee will then review the ideas. It'll be several months before the final plans are announced.