The Center for Discovery will soon break ground on a new children’s hospital and research center in Rock Hill called the Children’s Specialty Hospital.

Senator Chuck Schumer’s office announced $35 million for the project from the federal government.

Center CEO Patrick Dollard says this project will create 400 jobs, boosting an already important economic partner for Sullivan County.

“Since 2010, the economic impact for the county and for the state provided by the Center For Discovery is $1.7 billion, so it's about $250 million a year," Dollard said.

According to Dollard, the hospital will provide short-term care and assessment for children with complex disabilities. And it will collaborate with New York’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities so it can be a statewide resource.

“For the state, it’s going to have this remarkable, clinic impact on families who are, sort of, at that point in time where they’re sort of in the dark. And hopefully, we’re going to provide answers," Dollard said.

Dollard hopes that this could be a model that is duplicated across the country, ultimately saving money by reducing the need for long-term residential care. The benefits, though, go beyond dollars and cents.

“For a number of these kids, we can figure them out, help the family cope, and then get the school districts to be better prepared to deal with them. And then, that’s going to allow them to stay home a lot longer, we hope," Dollard said.

Construction will take place in the coming months and will mostly be a renovation project, turning the former Frontier Insurance building into a care and education facility.

For Dollard, who was born and raised in Rock Hill, it’s a chance to come home and revive a building that has loomed large, yet stayed empty for almost two decades.

“Getting this building back to life, I know Suzy Rhulen, it's a wonderful family," Dollard said. "It’s been empty too long; now we’re going to get it back operating.”