The owner of the former Eastern Niagara Hospital has been summoned to appear in court Sept. 17 due to continued lack of maintenance of the grounds, according to the city.
Jason Dool, the city’s chief building inspector, said Monday that the city summoned Shraga Gold, owner of the former hospital at 521 East Ave., to appear in court Aug. 13 concerning ongoing code violations for tall weeds growing through the parking lot and around the buildings. No one appeared in court on that date, Dool said.
“We have to have them served through the Secretary of State,” he said. “They have a return date of Sept. 17.”
The former hospital has remained vacant since it was purchased in 2024. Tracy Farrell, former city assessor, said in 2024 that since the property no longer operated as a hospital, it had lost tax-exempt status and would be responsible for paying property tax to the city.
Earlier this summer, the city sent a certified violation letter for lack of maintenance of the property’s grounds. On July 10, Dool said he received a receipt on June 15 for the letter, but no maintenance had been performed by the owner.
“The violation letter was for the weeds,” Dool said in July. “The grass, we just handle. We cut it and we bill them. The weeds are separate.” He said his office was attempting to contact Gold that week before filing a court action.
“The last time the city cut the grass was in the middle of June,” Dool said Monday.
Gold, who is the CEO of Kids First, a provider of applied behavior analysis for children with autism and other needs, attended a Common Council zoning hearing in March 2025. At the time, Gold said that he wanted to renovate the hospital building into senior condominiums, with a ground-floor restaurant and a stop-and-go grocery.
Attempts to reach Gold by the Union Sun & Journal this summer have been unsuccessful. Architect Jolie Andler Milstein, who had accompanied Gold to the Common Council meeting, said Wednesday that she is no longer under contract with him.
John Craig, 1st Ward alderman, said last month that residents have contacted him with complaints about the property’s upkeep.
Regarding any plans to renovate the building, Craig said that would likely happen after the owner finds federal or state development funds. No formal plans have been submitted to the city.
“Nobody’s going to do development on that size building without soliciting support,” Craig said.