Locals Hope to Scuttle Lenox Hill Zoning Changes That Would Expand Hospital

The ongoing saga of Northwell Health’s proposed expansion of Lenox Hill Hospital continues, with a key Community Board 8 vote on proposed zoning changes for the project occurring on April 9. CB8 only has advisory powers, but a “yes” vote could help usher in ultimate approval of the changes, which will be in the hands of the City Planning Commission.

The $2 billion overhaul, which would take at least an estimated nine years to finish, would notably involve the construction of a new hospital tower on Lexington Avenue that would be more than 400 feet tall. This is considerably taller than the surrounding environs, even after a reduction in height from the original 516-foot-tall plan.

Now, a group of local advocates who fiercely oppose Northwell’s plans—who dub themselves “Save Lenox Hill”—are lobbying community board members to vote “no.”

To that effect, they sent a letter to the board’s 48 members that broadly outlines why they oppose the project. Roughly paraphrased, it says that: expansive zoning changes would alter the character of Lenox Hill; construction would destroy the surrounding neighborhood; a majority of community members who have submitted testimony to CB8 oppose the project; the hospital’s vacancy rate (40 percent) is already too high as is; the cost of the project could be passed on to patients; the project is environmentally dangerous; other boroughs need new services more than Lenox Hill; and Northwell has arguably monopolized healthcare on the Upper East Side.

”For the reasons articulated above, Northwell’s current plan is far from perfect. A yes vote almost guarantees no changes and no relief to the community,” the letter concludes. “Rather than rubber stamp the plan as is, a NO vote that raises these articulated concerns highlights these issues for the next steps in the ULURP [Uniform Land Use Review Procedure] process to consider.”

Northwell officials say that the hospital is now spread out too widely across 10 adjoined buildings, and that changes—including larger operating and patient rooms—are needed in order for Lenox Hill to comply with current state regulations. They’ve also argued that a long project length will have the least disruptive impact on the surrounding community, as it will allow the hospital to continue to operate while construction is underway.

In an interview with Our Town, Save Lenox Hill members Stephanie Reckler and Stacy Krusch described their frustrations with the project at greater length, as well as decrying limited communication with Northwell. Krusch said that “we’re all for renovating the hospital, we know we need to renovate, but the zoning variances they’re asking for are astronomical for a residential neighborhood.”

Reckler said that while outside observers might pigeonhole Save Lenox Hill as a group of people that think “all the same,” she thinks that they’re “an incredibly diverse group that didn’t know each other!” She believes that their cause has broad grassroots appeal.

This was certainly evident during a 2023 town hall that they hosted, which drew a fairly large crowd. Upper East Side State Assembly Member Liz Krueger attended and backed up the opposition to Northwell’s plans, describing the area as Bedpan Alley due to its wealth of already-existing hospital beds.

“We’re not a big company like Lenox Hill’s Northwell is, spending millions on lobbying and PR. We’re the community. We’re the actual people who live here,” Krusch said. “If the zoning changes, it’s not gonna go back. It sets a precedent not just for any residential neighborhood, but for the city itself. . . . We’re hoping CB8 doesn’t sell us out to this big company.”

She added that she believes the expansion would end up being a “luxury facility,” which would cater to wealthy patients from “abroad.” Reckler said that “Lenox Hill used to always be known as a good community hospital, and that’s what they should strive to be now.”