The Utica downtown hospital project in on track for a groundbreaking next year, according to officials from the Mohawk Valley Health System. 

19 of the 35 property owners affected by the project have committed to signing purchase agreements. 10 are still negotiating, and 6 have not responded or are refusing to sell. 

We're told funding has been secured for the $480 million project. The state has committed $300 million, the rest comes from a bank loan. 

Next, developers will get a reuse study for the current hospital campuses.

"After we relocated to the new hospital, we want to only maintain one of those so we've asked them to come in and look at those three facilities, what it is we plan on maintaining as a result of moving to a new hospital and for them to make recommendations," said Robert Scholefield, MVHS Executive Vice President and COO.

Mohawk Valley Health System is also building mock surgical and patients rooms, so staff can test the designs. The interior design should be finished this fall.