$1 Million in State Funding Supports Building a New Facility to Bring Healthcare, Supportive Services, and a Pharmacy to a Medically Underserved Neighborhood
New Healthcare Center will Retain 34 Jobs and Create 21 New Jobs Between Evergreen Health and Community Access Services, in Addition to 89 Projected Temporary Construction Jobs
See Renderings of the Building Here
Empire State Development (ESD) today announced Evergreen Health has begun construction on its new 36,000 square-foot comprehensive healthcare center to be located on Bailey Avenue in East Buffalo. This project aims to address the health disparities and inequities on the East Side; the closest medical center is 1.5 miles or a 30-minute walk away. Evergreen Health provides medical, supportive, and behavioral services to individuals and families living with a chronic illness or who are underserved by the healthcare system. The new healthcare center will include clinical, office, and community spaces and a retail pharmacy. The overall mission is to provide comprehensive care services to fulfill the needs of the community. The new center will retain 34 jobs and create 21 new jobs between Evergreen Health and Community Access Services, in addition to creating 89 projected temporary construction jobs.
“The new Evergreen Health facility is an investment in the future wellbeing of residents living in an area that has long struggled to provide medical services to those in need,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight. “Governor Hochul’s investment in the project is just one of the many ways she is committed to improving East Buffalo by supporting businesses, increasing housing, and improving the overall quality of life for residents.”
The new facility will allow Evergreen to expand its physical space to meet the healthcare needs of people living in these historically underserved neighborhoods. The new location will have space for primary care, pharmacy services, HIV prevention counseling, HIV treatment, a food pantry, employment readiness services, re-entry support, Hepatitis C care and gynecological care. An on-site patient Financial Counseling Center, multi-use small and large meeting rooms, kitchen access for lease or free to community groups or block clubs, office space for community partners, and senior services are also part of the plan for the facility.
“To meet the needs of the community, it’s critical that the Ken-Bailey Project is unconditionally accessible and culturally sensitive. We’re not just going in with our own big ideas. We spent over a year meeting with people in the community, really listening to what they want from a new healthcare hub in their neighborhood. What services do they need? What do they want the space to look and feel like? Our goal is for this to be a community project, not just an Evergreen and CAS project, but a shared space where we can come together and really move the needle on health equity in this community,” said Ray Ganoe, president and CEO, Evergreen Health.
Community Access Services (CAS), an affiliate of Evergreen Health, has connected the community to quality healthcare and supportive services, including HIV testing and counseling, health support groups, nutrition outreach and education, food donations, and more. Together, the two organizations continue to provide individuals and families throughout Western New York with access to medical, supportive, and behavioral services- especially those who are underserved by the healthcare system.
“This project means improved access to equitable health services in Buffalo and beyond. A new health hub will allow us to expand the types of services we provide as well as bring even more community partners directly to the neighborhood, eliminating the need for individuals to leave their neighborhoods to seek the services they need and deserve. I believe that this health hub will close the health disparity gap that has impacted this community for decades,” said Kim Brown, executive director, Community Access Services.
Empire State Development’s Restore New York Communities Initiative is providing a $1 million grant for the project through Erie County. The $20 million project includes four parcels of land that have been vacant and underutilized. The new Evergreen Healthcare facility will be three stories high and designed to fit in with the existing Baily Avenue business district. At the request of stakeholders, there will be floor-to-ceiling exterior windows that will add a glow of light that can be seen from the street after dark.
Evergreen Health, formerly AIDS Community Services, was founded by a handful of volunteers in 1983 to address the HIV and AIDS crisis in Western New York. As breakthroughs in medical therapy were made for HIV and other STIs/STDs, the not-for-profit organization expanded its range of services beyond HIV care to meet the needs of the community. Today, Evergreen is a comprehensive healthcare delivery system that provides medical, supportive and behavioral health services all under one roof. Its unique model of care treats the whole patient to improve health outcomes.
Learn more about Evergreen Health at www.evergreenhs.org and Community Access Services at www.caswny.org.
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “Congratulations to Evergreen Health and Community Access Services on breaking ground for their new healthcare facility. Minus the pandemic’s impact, this has been a textbook planning process: identifying disparities and needs, engaging with community stakeholders, and then executing a collective vision. This facility will be the new anchor institution in the Ken-Bailey neighborhood and I look forward to residents being able to have their wholistic needs met in an equitable and accessible way.”
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said, “This new Evergreen Health facility is perfectly placed to address a critical need in our community and will be a welcome addition to Erie County’s health care community. Located on Buffalo’s underserved East Side, the facility will have an immediate impact on healthcare outcomes and equity while retaining jobs and adding new ones. This project is a real boost to the community and I thank Governor Hochul for her continuing investments in Erie County’s health.”
City of Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said, “As we continue to build a Buffalo without boundaries, where no one is left out and no one is left behind, I’m pleased to break ground on the new Evergreen healthcare facility that serves as another positive example of how we continue to come together to further improve East Buffalo by supporting businesses, creating jobs and improving the overall quality of life for residents. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her investment of $1 million in state funding to support this development, along with the entire development team. This new facility will make access to high quality healthcare more accessible; while ensuring people get the right care at the right time so we can address health disparities, and further improve health outcomes.”
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.
About Evergreen Health
Evergreen Health fosters healthy communities by providing medical, supportive and behavioral services to individuals and families in Western New York – especially those who are living with chronic illness or who are underserved by the healthcare system. For more information, visit www.evergreenhs.org.
About Community Access Services
Community Access Services (CAS) is committed to addressing the epidemic of HIV and other diseases that challenge the welfare of urban communities in Buffalo and Erie County by ensuring the availability of comprehensive care services, including prevention education and treatment.
Contact:
Pamm Lent | [email protected]| (716) 560-8815 | (800) 260-7313
Laura Magee| [email protected] | (716) 374-4246 | (800) 260-7313