Northwell Makes Moves On Lenox Hill Hospital Expansion

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Northwell Health appears to be reinitiating previously paused efforts to expand an East 77th Street hospital, according to newly filed zoning documents.

The plan, which requires a rezoning of the hospital site, triggered a heated battle on the Upper East Side in 2020.

Documents filed by the hospital earlier this week appear largely identical to those the hospital previously submitted to the city and local community boards.

"Following significant input from our neighbors, patients, physicians, and staff on our proposal in 2019, we remain committed to reinvesting in a state-of-the-art Lenox Hill Hospital where New Yorkers can get world-class treatment and services today and for years to come," said Northwell spokesperson, Barbara Osborn. "We understand stakeholders will share additional feedback over the coming months."

Already, community preservation groups awoke from a two-year slumber to alert their network of neighborhood activists.

The Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood, one of the groups that has long objected to the hospital's expansion, informed residents of the newly submitted documents in an email shared with Patch.

"Our neighborhood will no longer be liable," the email warned.

Neighborhood opposition to the project, including a "no" vote from Community Board 8 in late 2020, has already forced Northwell to scale back its ambitions.

An initially proposed 490-foot residential tower along Park Avenue was nixed entirely and the height of the proposed Lexington Avenue hospital tower was dropped from 516 feet down to 436 feet.

Despite the concessions, groups still called the project unacceptable and out of scale for the largely residential neighborhood.

The plans will be discussed at a Community Board 8 zoning meeting at the end of the month.

Related coverage from Upper East Side Patch:

• Lenox Hill Expansion Opponents Unmoved By Hospital's Concessions
• Controversial Tower Nixed In New Lenox Hill Expansion Plan
• Lenox Hill Hospital Expansion Battle Resumes After Pandemic Pause
• BP Hopes Lenox Hill, Neighbors Reach Consensus On Expansion
• Thousands Sign Petition Against Lenox Hill Hospital Expansion