Hospital News- Utica Police Station Will Be Demolished, After All?

Despite several denials by local officials and the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS), WIBX has learned that the Downtown Hospital Project footprint will consume the aging Utica Police station, after all.

During an interview with Utica Police Chief Mark Williams on Tuesday, it was confirmed that while details have not been announced or finalized, it's likely that the police station will be demolished and Utica's public safety headquarters will be moved elsewhere. Williams

cited the age of the building and the fact that the current hospital planned footprint has consumed much of the property surrounding the station, including key parking lots for employees and the public, as reasons for the move.

"I think it's pretty clear based on the footprint of the hospital that they eventually would like to acquire us," Williams told Keeler. "Being that we're in an antiquated building that we outgrew decades ago, we've all known this, that this might be the right opportunity to leave," he added.

Williams went on to say that based on research, new construction will be more economical than moving into an existing building. He was also unable to suggest any new location or any details on the size or design of a new police station at this time.

In the past, drawings created by MVHS have been made public that show the police station being demolished as part of the hospital footprint; however, representatives of the project dismissed those as errors.

After this post was published, MVHS officials released a statement reiterating previous public comments that the police station and courthouse are not in the hospitals current footprint. More on that statement here.

Chief Williams also spoke to the Utica Observer Dispatch saying his comments were just opinion - more on his comments to the OD here.

Listen to to the complete interview with Chief Mark Williams here: