PITTSBURGH — A Western Pennsylvania judge today dismissed a challenge to the planned closure of a hospital in one of Pittsburgh's poorest suburbs.

Allegheny County Judge Gene Strassburger denied an attempt by county Councilman Charles McCullough to prevent University of Pittsburgh Medical Center from closing its hospital in Braddock.

McCullough and community members were unable to persuade Strassburger that the hospital should stay open or that the closure would violate a 2007 financing agreement between UPMC, the county and Bank of New York-Mellon.

The 123-bed hospital is all but closed already. It stopped accepting patients two weeks ago; most employees have moved to other locations; and only its emergency room remains open. But that will close Sunday.