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Neighbors Of Highland Hospital Await More Details About Expansion

urmc.rochester.edu

Although Highland Hospital officials have apparently changed their minds about using a house near the hospital  for administrative  space, a neighborhood group says it is keeping a watchful eye for other expansion plans in that area.

A group called “Defend Urban Neighborhoods” recently brought a petition with more than 1600 signatures to officials at the hospital, asking them to refrain from acquiring residential property nearby.

The petition was in response to the hospital’s earlier purchase of a home on Bellevue Drive for possible use as offices.  In the past week Highland officials said they decided they won’t need that building and will sell it.

That’s good news to a spokesman for the neighborhood group, Kerry Regan, who is concerned about any move to buy up other homes in the area.

“We see threats to property values, to quality of life, to decisions about whether you want to upgrade your house or even maintain it or even continue to live there as institutions move into the residential section “

But  Regan and other neighbors say they are still waiting for more details about other expansion plans on the Highland Hospital campus.  Highland has plans to expand in one of its parking lots, and neighbors say they will be attending an opening meeting on July 14th to hear more about that.

Officials with Highland say they have been meeting with neighborhood groups for the past few months to share information about the renovation plans.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.