The Hospital for Special Surgery. Image credit: HSS
Expansion is designed to increase Hospital’s operating-room capacity. On July 23, 2015 the City Council approved a special permit for expansion of the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The expansion will increase HSS’ lot coverage by 2,820 square feet. The permit was unanimously approved by the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises on July 20 and by the Committee on Land Use on July 21.
In testimony before the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises on July 20, HSS representative Lisa Goldstein stated the expansion will be used to add three operating rooms along with related storage and support space to meet the hospital’s increasing demand. Ms. Goldstein testified the hospital is already operating at capacity and the addition would allow HSS to perform an additional 2,500 surgeries per year. Ms. Goldstein stated staging for the construction project would be done east of the hospital’s drop-off area, and steel delivery and construction would take place over the weekends to minimize conflicts in the neighborhood. Ms. Goldstein testified agreements were reached between HSS and Councilmember Ben Kallos, who represents the area, to improve and maintain the East River Esplanade between East 70th and East 72nd Streets as part of the expansion.
Councilmember Kallos spoke before the Committee on Land Use praising the Hospital and encouraging approval of the permit. “[The Hospital for Special Surgery serves] my district. They serve the entire city. They serve the entire United States and the world. …We’re proud to have them, and we’re proud to have them as a community partner that is investing in the community, and helping to improve the local area.”
City Council: Stated Meeting LU 0251-2015 (Jul. 23, 2015).
By: Michael Twomey (Michael is the CityLaw Fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2014)