Lander Lauds Methodist Hospital Agreement
Park Slope City Councilman Brad Lander yesterday lauded the amicable settlement between an active civic organization and the area’s longtime medical facility, New York Methodist Hospital (NYM), which is in the heart of Park Slope.
The brouhaha began when Methodist Hospital announced plans to build an outpatient care center on hospital property on Eighth Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Street a long-time hospital which is a pillar of the Park Slope community.
The civic organization, Preserve Park Slope (PPS) opposed the plan saying that the outpatient facility was too big and out of context with the existing brownstone neighborhood. Additionally, PPS had concerns that the proposed facility would cause a traffic nightmare along Eighth Avenue, which many motorists from Windsor Terrace, Sunset Park and Kensington utilize as a shortcut to Flatbush Avenue as well as hurting parking conditions.
Under the settlement, the hospital agreed to lop off one floor of the building, relocate a planned pedestrian entrance and pay for a traffic engineer (jointly selected by NYM and PPS) to develop a comprehensive operational traffic management plan.
““I am pleased that Methodist Hospital and Preserve Park Slope have reached a settlement that enables the expansion project to move forward and responds to community concerns by lowering the height, allowing for more community involvement, and working with my office to address the traffic issues that have been raised by the proposal,” said Lander.
“The expansion of Methodist Hospital is an important part of preserving quality health care in the neighborhood, especially in the midst of a shifting health care landscape, and I look forward to working with the hospital and the neighborhood to ensure the highest level of care for our residents.”
Camara Slams Donovan, Malliotakis Gets Some Support
Crown Heights Assemblyman Karim Camara slammed Staten Island DA Dan Donovan‘s expected run for the 11th Congressional District seat, saying his lack of getting an indictment of any police in the chokehold death of Eric Garner will come back to haunt him, The Nation reported.
Camara also said Donovan needs to be questioned on his positions regarding police reform as well. Camara is a Democrat and Donovan is a Republican.
“As a candidate, he’s going to have to speak to that,” said Camara, who also chairs the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus in Albany. “That district does comprise many areas that are African-American and poor, and they need to know what his stance is on the epidemic of over-policing.”
Despite Camara’s comments, Donovan does have a lot of support in Staten Island where many police and firefighters and their families live. He also reportedly has the support of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Bay Ridge Sen. Marty Golden.
Meanwhile, GOP Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis has won the informal backing of Brooklyn Republican Party Chair Craig Eaton in her bid for the GOP nomination in the 11th Congressional District race, State Of Politics reports.
Upcoming Event:
Fort Greene State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery is holding a forum entitled, The Affordable Housing Crises: A Community Discussion with city and state officials and housing advocates. The event is slated for 6-8:30 p.m., Thurday, Jan. 15 at the Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church, 85 South Oxford Street.
