1 week Ago By Tessa Langston
The contentious issue of Lenox Hill Hospital's expansion moves through its procedural paces, having recently hit a snag with Manhattan Community Board 8's dismissal. CBS News detail the board's verdict—a 23-15 vote against a towering addition that could skew the skyline up to 436 feet skyward. Concern for the architectural integrity and scale for the Upper East Side neighborhood pervades residents' sentiment, palpable since the expansion's initial proposition some six years ago.
An announcement shared by CBS News interviews revealed neighbors steeling themselves for a decade of construction, wary of changes, residents like Ann Goodbody express skepticism, arguing, "They kinda can upgrade the infrastructure, and hospitals do it all the time. They're all not tearing themselves down and building these pavilions," while according to PIX11, Stacy Krusch of the Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood raised concerns about zoning, stating “We have zoning for a reason to protect our neighborhood, so we don’t have to deal with this kind of thing. If you get rid of zoning and allow this, it sets a horrible precedent for other buildings.
This just doesn’t belong in a residential neighborhood.” Yet, Lenox Hill Hospital argues the revamp is a long-term vision, aiming to address future generations' healthcare needs. Jake Scheinerman, Lenox Hill chairman of cardiac and thoracic surgery, underscored this point, telling CBS News, "We have to be thinking not just five years from now and ten years from now, but 50 to 100 years from now, generations ahead.
"Revised plans see the initially proposed 516-foot structure reduced, a concession that Dr. Daniel Baker, Lenox Hill Executive Director, alludes to as proof of their flexibility and engagement with community feedback. "It does demonstrate a commitment to listening and a commitment to change in how we have lowered the height of the building and how we have continued to try and adapt the face and structure of the building to what we hear from you all," he told CBS News.
The adaptation included the aforementioned height alteration to a range between 395 and 436 feet—a nod towards compromise, yet evidently falling short of alleviating the community's concerns.The hospital's quest for modernization emphasizes a transformative overhaul from emergency departments to patient rooms, Baker expounded on the scale of renovations during a PIX11 interview, saying, "it’s about the totality of the project, the renovation and modernization of our emergency department, to our ORs, to our ambulance bays and to all our rooms, so we’re going from 450 beds to 475 rooms." But the hospital's blueprint for the future isn't just about scale, it's also pitched as an economic beacon, with Local 79 worker Troy Watt advocating for the opportunities stemming from such a development, “The opportunity for there to be some consistent work will be great for hundreds of New Yorkers, you know," he explained to CBS News.
Despite the advisory "no" vote, the future of Lenox Hill Hospital is still under review. The Manhattan borough president will next evaluate the proposal, followed by the New York City Council, and potentially a mayoral approval..
