Monday, December 24, 2012

Manhattan hospitals expanding, Queens hospitals providing housing


From the NY Observer:

The city’s aging population, a drive for state-of-the-art facilities and strong hiring across the health care industry prompted unprecedented growth in leasing activity in the health care sector across the five boroughs in 2012.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Mt. Sinai, Montefiore Hospital and Inventa Health were among the dozens of hospitals and medical companies to announce bold new initiatives to expand their footprints in the city in 2012, and those developments are only a sign of what’s to come, brokers and analysts predict.


From the Queens Courier:

Civic groups in Hillcrest are worried that a proposed mixed housing unit set to lodge individuals with chronic conditions will draw a “questionable population” next door.

Queens Hospital Center (QHC) is in talks with Comunilife, a nonprofit human services agency, to develop a deteriorated 10-story building on the hospital’s campus into 251 units of affordable, permanent supportive housing for individuals with chronic physical and mental health conditions, The Courier has learned.

Residency at the 82-68 164th Street site in Jamaica, called the “T-Building,” would be coupled with access to supportive health care services, including case workers, a hospital executive said. Apartment preference would be given to patients of Queens and Elmhurst Hospital Centers suffering from ailments including diabetes and chronic heart failure.

QHC officials said it was too early to specify those “special needs,” but local civic associations said they expect masses of homeless people, the mentally ill, and individuals with HIV or AIDS, based on Comunilife’s mission statement to help that particular population.

“The overwhelming feeling is of great concern, if not rejection, of any consideration of this type of facility,” said Kevin Forrestal, president of the Hillcrest Estates Civic Association and area chair of Community Board 8. “We’re talking about a rather large number of people, hundreds, who are at risk, with mental issues.”

Forrestal said the hesitation stems from a “fear of crime or other offenses” the residents could potentially commit.

“Presumably, of most folks who have HIV, many, if not most, have had a history of drug abuse,” he said.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

search:Public Interest Law, Queens College Law School (C.U.N.Y.) and get an education on socialism.

Anonymous said...

Manhattanites stand up to their politicians and put them in their place. Events happen and the politicians, if they show up, are deservedly relegated to corners.

In Queens, the locals bow and scrape when a politician shows up. The local hacks takes front and center - even when Santa is in town their are no kids in the picture - just your community scumbag hogging the lights.

Guess which boro has 5 times as many hospital beds as Queens.

Jon Torodash said...

Are Queens Hospital Center and Comunilife paying for this out of their own budgets?

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 1:

Which relates to this post in what way? Stay on topic.

Anonymous said...

And the old Parkway remains shuttered.....only to be used or movie hoots. SHAME on Queens local politicians!!! Karen Koslowitz included!

Anonymous said...

They only want hospitals in Queens to send patients to Manhatten, not care for them ourselves. They don't think we deserve doctors, only PAs and RNs.

Anonymous said...

I hate to think of the people with chronic diabetes or heart issues being forced to live a building that houses mostly people will serious mental illness.