Friday, December 2, 2016

Closed Holliswood Hospital remains "open and unguarded"

From the Queens Tribune:

The long-vacant Holliswood Hospital at 87-37 Palmero St. in Hollis is going through court hearings for two Department of Buildings “unsafe buildings” violations, according to the Department of Buildings.

The building received an “unsafe building” violation in November of 2015, when it was determined that the building was left open, vacant and unguarded. It received the second violation this past August, according to the DOB spokesperson.

Court documents filed on Sept. 20 with the Queens Civil Supreme Court show that the specific complaints are that “many of the windows, rear and side doors are broken/open and accessible,” and that the “equipment room door at rear of property is open and accessible.” The building has had two hearings so far—one on Nov. 23 and the other yesterday, Nov. 30. An unsafe-building violation can be dismissed if the work is done to correct the unsafe condition and a new DOB inspection finds no violating conditions, according to the DOB spokesperson.

The defunct hospital has been the center of controversy in the Hollis community for at least a year, and neighbors have repeatedly cited the building as a hazard. The former drug rehabilitation center shut down in 2013 and was purchased by Flushing-based developer Steve Cheung in July 2015. In that time, the hospital has sat vacant, often with wide-open doors and broken windows.

Linda Valentino, president of the Holliswood Civic Association, says that some neighbors have reported questionable people entering the unsecured hospital. She added that other neighbors have reported a serious mold problem—the consequence of severe flooding after the sprinklers in the building’s top floor burst and saturated the whole building with water.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the new landlord is hoping for some vandals might set a fire so he can collect insurance money to pay for the rehab/rebuild. I wonder how many micro apartments they can squeeze in here.

Anonymous said...

An unofficial homeless shelter for the winter.
Near Jamaica, one of the craphiles of Queens.

JQ LLC said...

This is some shady shit. How hard is it to replace windows, doors, install new locks, remove mold and prevent loitering and squatting. This is neglect by design.

Yesterday heading home on the train, I came down the subway stairs and saw a shirtless old man with a tumor in his back the size of a bocceball, this person should be in a hospital and not be wandering around aimlessly or stored in a hotel room or some halfway house. This city needs hospitals badly. That motherfucker Cheung should be in prison.

Anonymous said...

Sure, yet another story of useless elected officials and community board.

Now if you 'needed' bike lanes there would be visioning sessions out the wazoo.

Anonymous said...

no fire. waiting for the water leaks and winter snow to finish off the building just like they do in China. Small problem. very mild weather so far.

Anonymous said...

>How hard is it to replace windows, doors, install new locks, remove mold and prevent loitering and squatting.

For a big building like that? Won't be cheap, and therefore won't be easy.

JQ LLC said...

I'm sure it's not cheap or easy. But this city has a wretched history of allowing derelict properties to worsen, especially in the past decade. And these lowlife miser owners continue to hoard their personal wealth and myriad investments and refuse to invest in the cities they're in. And the officials appointed to prevent such graft and neglect refuse to bat an eye or breathe over their necks.

Erik Baard said...

I was born in that building, when it was Terrace Heights Hospital. It went through a similar period of neglect in the 1970s. I hope it finds a new use in healthcare.

Anonymous said...

Just like the former Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills, an abandoned eyesore in an upscale neighborhood. Looks like the neighbors' wealth and political power can't cure the ugly spot on their community. The late Holliswood Hospital is within a block of David Weprin's house. Even he is powerless to fix this problem.

BakerBoy said...

I was born in that hospital in 1970

Anonymous said...

My goodness, it was called Terrace Heights Hospital back in 1964 .....when I was born there. I pray something positive can arise from this situation. FaithToAchieve.

Anonymous said...

Just continue to call the NY Department of Buildings thru 311 to report this unsecured building.

I just called now.

Please do your civic duty.🌞

Aunt Violet said...

I was born there in Terrace Heights Hospital in 1954. It was a very nice hospital then. I got to stay for a week in 1960 or so when they removed my tonsils! So sad they have neglected this spot, in a lovely neighborhood.

Unknown said...

I was born there in 1972

Anonymous said...

Awful hospital...worked there and kenneth applebaum was ugh

Unknown said...

I was always intrigued about this hospital.
I was born there this day, November 21, 1964.
So were 3 of my cousins, my parents lived nearby.
What a shame.
Denise

Unknown said...

My sister was born there in 1965, I had my tonsils taken out there 1967 my nephews were born there also. It was a nice hospital. My Mom was an aide there too

Eve D said...

I’m just doing research on the hospital where I was born. So cool to see others born ther3 was it was Terrace Heights. I was born there in 1954.

Nicole iacono said...

I was treated there in 2003 when it was a mental
Hospital horrible treatments they almost killed me ( I am adhd ) no drugs 14 days in hell

Unknown said...

Just checking on this hospital, so sad to see what is going on now. I was born there 1956

Anonymous said...

I was born there November 1969 sad to see this! I've lived in Colorado now since 1978 no wonder my father decided to move out of Uniondale/Hempstead. sad situation to see the place I was born turn into a shithole! ughhhhh