Point of view

Pointed questions for Montefiore

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Two weeks ago, the Chair of Community Board 8’s Land Use Committee asked if a few members of our group would meet with representatives from Montefiore Medical Center in regard to revised plans to build an outpatient facility on Riverdale Avenue. We agreed and sat down with them a week before the Land Use Committee meeting scheduled for July 22.  

Our meeting with Montefiore was cordial, but they did not answer many of the questions we asked about their revised proposal to build a six-story, 77,000-square-foot facility. After the meeting, our local elected officials asked us to provide them with a list of questions that we were planning to ask at the Land Use Committee meeting. We gave them a list, which they said they would give to Montefiore. The Land Use Committee meeting, however — at the request of Montefiore — was abruptly called off the day before it was supposed to be held, and postponed until September. So we never got to put our questions to Montefiore in front of a large number of community residents who were expected to attend.

That is the reason we are doing it here, so that residents know our concerns and why we remain opposed to Montefiore’s plans for Riverdale. Here is what we want Montefiore to answer:

1. Will you agree that your proposed medical facility is subject to review under state Sen. Jeffrey Klein’s and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz’s recently passed law in Albany that requires the State Health Commissioner to hold a public forum for new out-patient medical facilities higher than three stories and greater than 30,000 square feet?

2. Do you have a business plan you will share with the community?

What are the days and hours of operation?

What are the numbers of patients you expect per day?

How many doctors, and what is the total number of staff?

Is this going to be an urgent care facility?

What are the specific services you will provide, i.e., mammograms, MRI, drug rehabilitation, etc?

3. Have you done a traffic plan and do you plan to request that any streets in the surrounding area be changed, i.e., making any two-way streets one-way or changing the direction of one-way streets?

4. Parking and vehicle issues:

Montefiore Medical Center, Committee to Protect Riverdale
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