Community Update

Dear Neighbors,

  9/10/13 Meeting Recap

Preserve Park Slope (PPS) is a community organization dedicated to safeguarding the many distinctive characteristics of Brownstone Brooklyn while ensuring a high quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors by supporting thoughtful development and economic growth.

On 9/10/13 Preserve Park Slope hosted an open conversation with the community to discuss New York Methodist Hospital's plans to significantly expand their facilities in Park Slope between 5th & 6th Streets and 7th & 8th Avenues.  Their most recently disclosed plans include building an ambulatory care center (300,000 square foot, 8 story building) that will operate 24 hours a day and will take up nearly an entire city block, create a multi-lane auto and pedestrian pass through tunnel between 6th & 5th Streets and destroy as many as 15 brownstones.  

Preserve Park Slope respects and understands New York Methodist Hospital’s right to expand.  We are working to create a dialogue with the hospital’s leadership in order to create a plan that respects the unique character of the neighborhood while preserving the quality of life that has made Park Slope one of the most livable neighborhoods in New York City.

Resident Concerns & Suggestions

During the meeting, residents voiced questions and concerns about quality of life issues including the increase in traffic, pollution, and noise, parking difficulties, the height of the proposed building, destruction of existing brownstones, the proposed 5th-6th Street auto and pedestrian pass through, security for the new complex, 24/7 movement of people and traffic in the neighborhood, impact on nearby schools and ongoing construction.

Suggestions for mitigating the impact of NY Methodist Hospital's proposed plan included:

§  Calling for a reduction in the height of the proposed building

§  Preserving as many historical details as possible

§  Possibly eliminating the planned auto & pedestrian pass through

§  Providing the community with comprehensive and detailed plans that address traffic, parking, on-street security, quality of life preservation, minimizing disruptions, noise, pollution and traffic during the construction period.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

§  Voice your concern by contacting Lyn Hill (lyh9001@nyp.org) or 718.780.3301, Vice President of Communications for NYM, expressing your personal concerns about the project.  Those concerns can range from traffic, noise, size of project, construction, etc.  It is critically important the hospital understands the perspective of their neighbors.

Copies of these notes can be sent to:

-- Park Slope Civic Counsel: mail@parkslopeciviccouncil.org
-- Community Board 6: Info@BrooklynCB6.org
-- Councilmember Brad Lander: lander@council.nyc.gov, eertinger@council.nyc.gov, amoore@council.nyc.gov.

§ Learn more about Preserve Park Slope and Methodist Hospital expansion plans, get updates on important developments, sign up for the PPS e-newsletter at Preserveparkslope.org, contact PPS at info@preserveparkslope.org or visit www.facebook.com/PreserveParkSlope

§ Show your concern by attending these public meetings:

­   Community Board 6 Land Use – Thursday, September 26, 6 p.m., John Jay High School auditorium, 237 7th Avenue,(between 4th & 5th Streets)

­   Park Slope Civic Council – Monday, September 30, 6:30 p.m. Congregation Beth Elohim