A larger Lenox Hill Hospital is now on the table. Northwell Health has applied to begin the process of expanding its site on 77th Street. For years, there has been community backlash.

The Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood has been fighting against the redevelopment of the hospital for five years.

What You Need To Know

  • Northwell Health has applied to begin the process of expanding its site on 77th Street

  • Northwell Health plans to construct a new 436-foot building on the hospital’s campus by 2036, according to their application with the Department of City Planning

  • The hospital says the new and improved complex would include 475 single-bed rooms and 30 operating suites, as well as a bigger emergency department

“We oppose the height of the tower and we have voiced our opinions and Northwell has not listened,” Stephanie Reckler, who is part of the group, said.

Northwell Health plans to construct a new 436-foot building on the hospital’s campus by 2036, according to their application with the Department of City Planning.

“Traffic, that it will cause the 11 plus years of construction, and you know that construction in New York City never goes on schedule,” Reckler said of her concerns.

The hospital says the new and improved complex would include 475 single-bed rooms and 30 operating suites, as well as a bigger emergency department. Some residents said they fear it will take away from the neighborhood.

“This used to be [a] very, sort of, homey, comfortable area, and the hospital has built a huge building on Third Avenue, which is cut off all my light and I just feel that it’s over building,” Upper East Side resident Valerie Stall said.

“We began engaging neighbors, staff and other community stakeholders about the future of Lenox Hill Hospital in 2019. Over five years, their feedback has played a significant role in shaping the proposal Northwell continues to develop, including changes to meaningfully lower the height. As a continuation of our efforts to respond to this community feedback, our proposal will include a second potential building envelope that lowers the height on Lexington Avenue by shifting density to the mid-block,” a Northwell spokesperson said in a statement.

Reckler says that’s still not good enough.

“By 4 stories, that’s about 40 feet. That makes no difference,” she said.

While there is opposition, some say they will deal with potential setbacks if it means better health care for the neighborhood.

“I mean its an important hospital for the neighborhood if they are going to expand services. If it’s going to be a better service in the long run, I don’t see a problem with it,” Upper East Side resident Bryan Hogan said.

The proposal will have to go through the land use procedure, which includes public review. That process takes about a year.