Senator Kennedy to Sponsor Community Conversation on Future of Sheehan Hospital

Kennedy invites neighbors and community members to attend event Friday, March 8 at 1 p.m. to hear about plans for what’s next for the former Sheehan Memorial Hospital site. 

McGuire Development and potential future tenants will be on hand to announce investments and take input from residents. 

Kennedy: The former Sheehan Hospital has a long, storied history in Buffalo. I encourage the community to come hear about its next chapters.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Senator Tim Kennedy, D-Buffalo, will sponsor a community event to discuss the future of the former Sheehan Memorial Hospital site Friday, March 8. It’s an opportunity for neighbors and community members to hear more about new plans for Sheehan from McGuire Development and potential building tenants. Senator Kennedy wants to ensure the community’s voice is heard as McGuire Development takes over stewardship of the historic former hospital complex.

This Open House and Community Conversation will run from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Michigan Avenue medical facility. Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Buffalo Council members Darius Pridgen and Demone Smith, as well as Council President Richard Fontana, are expected to join Senator Kennedy to take part in the event.  

“The roots of the former Sheehan Memorial Hospital run deep into Buffalo’s history. For over 100 years, local families have received care and individuals have recovered at 425 Michigan Avenue,” Senator Kennedy said. “Now the community has an opportunity to help write the next chapters of this important downtown building. The significance of this site has not faded over the years, but only grown stronger. Located along historic Michigan Avenue Corridor, and adjacent to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, the burgeoning Larkin District and at the gateway to Buffalo’s East Side, this soon-to-be-revamped facility remains a critical component to the redevelopment of downtown Buffalo and economic growth across Western New York. 

“I encourage area residents to join us for this important community conversation to discuss the future of the former Sheehan Hospital,” Kennedy added “Sheehan is a hospital of firsts – it was the first hospital to include the electric ambulance, the first hospital to own their own private fleet of ambulances and the city's first burn center. The plans to revitalize this historic building only strengthen the vision of the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor.”

McGuire Development was awarded the right to purchase the former Sheehan site and took title of the property after the Sheehan Memorial Hospital Board of Directors filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York.

Throughout the process of devising plans and gathering tenants, McGuire Development has made it a priority to remain transparent and foster open dialogue about the future of the 425 Michigan Ave. site. They will outline their vision and unveil the new name for the former Sheehan Memorial Hospital at the event March 8.

McGuire is attracting tenants that work in medical-related fields to ensure the revamped complex benefits the neighborhood in which it is situated, as well as the entire Buffalo community. Currently, the Langston Hughes Institute is utilizing the facility for temporary office space as it finalizes plans for its new location on Broadway. 

Senator Kennedy believes the redevelopment of Sheehan must remain a priority for the downtown area, considering its strategic position near the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and at the entryway to Buffalo’s East Side. Throughout the initial phases of this process, Kennedy has encouraged McGuire to act with a sense of urgency as they develop comprehensive plans to protect the long-term future of facility and make a meaningful, lasting impact in the neighborhood.

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Senator Timothy M. Kennedy represents the New York State Senate’s 63rd District, which is comprised of the town of Cheektowaga, the city of Lackawanna and nearly all of the city of Buffalo. More information is available at http://kennedy.nysenate.gov.