Queens Hospital Center to get new senior care center

Private company to convert City building to 296-person senior continuum care center. Health & Hospitals Corporation, Citywide Administrative Services and the Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center sought the disposition of City-owned land, a special permit to exceed a nursing home bed limit, and an exception to height and setback to permit the Skyline Commons project, a 296- person senior continuum care facility within the existing Queens Hospital Center in Jamaica Queens.

Queens Hospital Center, owned by the City and operated by HHC, has ten buildings totaling 848,934 sq. ft. on a campus bounded by Grand Central Parkway, Parsons, Goethals, 82nd Drive and 161st and 164th Streets. All ten buildings are used for hospital and administrative services, with no dedicated senior facilities.

Skyline Commons proposed to sublease a partially-occupied, 238,0l2 sq.ft. ten-story building and add 12,355 sq.ft. The facility will be privately operated by New Life Management & Development, Inc. and the nonprofit corporation Margaret Tietz. Skyline Commons will contain a mix of unit types from private retirement apartments, to partial- care units and full-care, nursing home beds. Jamaica Queens already exceeds the nursing home bed limit contained in the zoning code, so the facility required an additional special permit.

The Commission unanimously approved on September 22, 2004, finding that the project would not increase traffic or the need for emergency vehjdes, and it would be a significant benefit to the community.

ULURP Process: HHC, as lead agency, released a negative declaration on April 29, 2004. Community Board 8 approved by a vote of 25 to two on July 14, 2004, with the two dissenters voicing opposition to the over-development of community facilities in the immediate area. On August 3, 2004, Borough President Helen Marshall approved the application. City Council’s review is pending.

CPC Cal. Nos. 14-15 C 040356 PPQ (disposition of city land), C 040357 ZSQ (special permit for nursing home and height/setback) (September 22, 2004) (Queens Hospital/Skyline Commons) . CITYADMIN

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