A new era for Clifton-Fine Hospital: work begins on emergency department

STAR LAKE — Construction has begun on a new emergency room at Clifton-Fine Hospital.

The $23 million project will see a new emergency room and upgraded X-ray equipment built. $21.6 million of that comes in state funding.

“Today marks a new era at Clifton-Fine Hospital,” said Tom Sauter, Chairman of the Clifton-Fine Hospital Board of Trustees.

Sauter said they started working on the project in 2018, but were faced with supply chain issues and high costs.

The new emergency department will be 10,000 square feet, up from its current 800 square feet.

“Today marks the beginning of something new, something big, a new era for Clifton-Fine Hospital,” said Diedra Sorrell, the hospital’s CEO.

She said she began seeking grants by “telling (their) story.”

“We really needed to expand, develop and renovate some of our existing systems,” she said.

Four private emergency rooms, three private observation rooms, a new laboratory collection area and a new waiting room are part of the project.

“The project will provide a modern, expanded space that will allow our emergency service providers and other staff to better do their jobs and create a better facility and atmosphere for patients to heal,” Sauter said.

Some of the event attendees wore white “born to be here” shirts and others wore red shirts indicating they were born in Clifton-Fine.

Julie Lanphear was one of the people wearing the white “Born to be here” T-shirt and helping with the fundraising efforts. “It’s so good to see so many people here,” she said.

The new facility will be located behind the primary care clinic, facing the parking lot.

Susan Persson-Dumke is selling the T-shirts to benefit the hospital. She also has a personal connection to the facility. Her grandfather was a doctor at Clifton-Fine and delivered many children.

People from the community came to her and told her what her grandparents had done for them, as her grandmother was also involved in the hospital.

“It’s priceless,” she said.

A photo of Persson-Dumke’s grandfather, Robert V. Perrsson, hangs just past the hospital check-in point.

“You can’t help but find your place here,” she said.

Persson-Dumke said there are prizes for the T-shirts that will give people the opportunity to have a plaque with their name on part of the hospital grounds.

She will continue to sell them until the ribbon cutting ceremony. People can contact her by texting her at 813-597-4019.

Persson-Dumke said they raised $900,000, with the main source of donations coming from the Wilderness Health Care Foundation. That amount doesn’t include money raised for the T-shirts.

“Seeing the community support for the hospital is like coming home,” she said.

Sorrell said she expects the emergency department to be completed by September 2025 and some renovations to the interior of the building to take place, possibly as late as 2027.

Once the emergency room is completed, the hospital will move the radiology department into the new space and install physical therapy and occupational therapy services there.

Sorrell thanked the Northern New York Community Foundation, the town of Fine and the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators, which donated $300,000.