NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Northwell Health’s Lenox Hill Hospital on the Upper East Side is looking to expand—but not everyone is on board.
The hospital has proposed a project that would increase its capacity from 450 to 475 beds and 475 rooms, aiming to improve patient care and accommodate growing demand.
“This proposal now has a building that is much shorter and only 436 feet on Lexington,” said Dr. Daniel Baker, highlighting adjustments made to the plan to address previous concerns.
But for many area residents, the changes don’t go far enough. Neighbors worry about the impact on the character of the neighborhood.
The project is still in its early stages, but the opposition is already vocal, with residents rallying outside the hospital on Wednesday. Among them was Rachel Storch, a mom of four who lives behind the hospital.
Storch is concerned about a decade of "noise, disruption and construction."
"The 10-year timeline could be deeply destructive," she said. "For my own children, the 10 years would be their entire childhood."
The plan must still go through several steps to get to City Council review.
Reporting by Mary-Lyn Buckley, 1010 WINS on 92.3 FM.