Here's When The Next Public Hearing For Lenox Hill Hospital Construction Is Scheduled

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — The long-fought-over plan to rezone a portion of East 77th Street and expand Northwell's Lenox Hill Hospital is entering the next phase of its public review process later this month, with a public hearing on May 21, according to nonprofit neighborhood group, Friends of the Upper East Side.

At the public hearing, civilians will have a chance to share their thoughts on the project with commissioners from the New York City Department of City Planning from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. online or in the City Planning Commission's Hearing Room, which is located at 120 Broadway in Manhattan.

This hearing comes a little more than a month after Community Board 8 voted to reject Northwell's proposal to build extra stories and modernize many parts of the hospital on East 77th Street between Lexington and Park avenues, which Northwell Health representatives said are far below current industry standards.

"Through these improvements, we are investing in a future that prioritizes quality care, efficiency and accessibility for all who walk through our doors in need,” Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, said.

At the community board meeting, several attendees took issue with the height of the new tower, which, in one of the hospital's two construction plans, would rise 436 feet over Lexington Avenue.

"The community isn't against the hospital modernizing, but they just don't feel that the plan that's presented really justifies the modernization," Valerie Mason, the chair of Community Board 8, told Patch at the April 10 meeting. At the meeting, Mason voted to reject the proposal.

It was a fairly close vote, 23-15, with two abstentions.

"Remember, any one of us could be those patients who will need these facilities," Community Board 8 member Sebastian Clarke, who voted to approve the project, said at the meeting.

The board's vote to reject the plan is now on the desk of Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who has until May 14 to issue his official recommendations on the project before the planning commission's public hearing.

Both Levine's and the board's judgments will be considered in an advisory capacity by government officials.

The renovation plans

There are two different designs currently on the table for the new building.

In one plan, the building would be built to rise 436 feet over Lexington Avenue, but taper down to 195 feet on East 77th Street and East 76th Street.

This plan would take six years of construction on the building itself and three more years of work on the building's interior, hospital officials said.

In another newer plan, the building would come to 395 feet over Lexington Avenue, and drop down to 360 feet over the side streets.

Building this plan would take six-and-a-half years of construction on the building itself, and two-and-a-half years of construction inside the building, hospital officials said.

But, with either plan, the hospital will transform all patient rooms into single-bed rooms, update operating rooms, and add new center specifically for labor and delivery patients, hospital officials said.

The NYC Department of City Planning gave Northwell the green light to renovate the medical center and add extra stories to the building this March, which launched the mandatory public review process, the first step in finalizing construction plans.

What happens next

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine has not issued his recommendation on the project yet.

For New Yorkers interested in sharing their thoughts with Levine before he issues a judgment, click here for ways to contact him.

After he makes a recommendation, the New York City Department of City Planning will hold a public hearing and then make its recommendations to City Council, where it will be voted on.

From there, the mayor can authorize or veto the vote.

For information on the public hearing for May 21, click here.

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.