SUNY Drops LICH Talks with Peebles; Turns to Fortis

By on May 28, 2014 10:12 pm in Cobble Hill, Health, News, Real Estate

The Brooklyn Paper reports that SUNY today announced it has broken off talks with Peebles Corporation, which became the favored bidder for Long Island College Hospital after the initial first place bidder, Brooklyn Health Partners, was declared disqualified. SUNY is now negotiating with Fortis Property Group, which scored third in the bidding and which, in addition to converting much of the LICH site to residential use, will provide, in conjunction with NYU Langone Medical Center and Lutheran Health Care, an ambulatory surgical facility and cancer center. No word on an emergency room. The Brooklyn Paper piece quotes SUNY spokesman David Doyle:

Several portions of the Peebles proposal have dramatically changed, including the possibility of long delays in the manner and method in which healthcare will be provided at the site.

Doyle is also quoted as saying that SUNY will continue to keep the LICH emergency room open as it negotiates with Fortis.

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  • johnny cakes

    Something seems rotten in Albany. Could it be Andrew Cuomo?

  • Heights Observer

    This process seems to have broken down. Perhaps now is the time to issue a new RFP and start over. A responsive, responsible bidder is what is called for.

    The third choice is no choice at all.

  • Daddyo

    Forget Gracie Mansion. Make DeBlabbio move in here…

  • Ebenezer

    Peebles Corporation stiffed a pledge made to a not-profit group not too long ago. Wouldn’t trust that company, IMHO. Also, a couple of days ago spent 10 hours at NY Methodist ER. The place has been jammed since the ambulances stopped going to LICH. Watched as one person, in for appendicitis, literally stood in his gown in front of the nurses’ station and wouldn’t move until he got a room. Was waiting for hours in great pain. I stood behind him in case he fell, Finally a sympathetic nurse demanded a room, and they wheel-chaired him out. The strain on services is very real and not being addressed.

  • concerned in Brooklyn

    This has been SUNY’s ruse all along. Convert it to all residential development for maximum profit! The almighty dollar always wins.

  • Banet

    A friend (who lives 3 blocks from LICH) ended up taking an ambulance to Methodist at 3am mid-week last week. He said it was a disaster. In his words:

    “I didn’t actually see a doctor for three hours. No, I take that back, I didn’t actually see ANYONE for three hours. Except the woman squeezed in the berth next to me who had been in the ER for three DAYS while waiting for a room to open in in the hospital. After getting my IVs, no one bothered to check when they were finished. I had to track someone down to unhook me and then I literally just walked myself out. No one discharged me. Unbelievable.”

  • TeddyNYC

    I hope the medical needs assessment that they’re doing for the area will show that we need three hospitals to avoid what’s happening now at Methodist, and most likely Brooklyn Hospital as well. I was at Methodist a few years ago for my dad and the ER looked busy enough at that time. We need a “medical triangle” of 3 hospitals to serve our expanding communities.

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    LICH supporters — Be there this Tuesday at 9 AM!

  • Peggy

    This is sooooo serious for Brooklyn! I see the ambulances waiting with patients in them to get through the doors of Methodist’s ER. I can’t imagine what Brooklyn Hospital looks like. To think that we have such a density of people and no hospital to service several neighborhoods, it’s criminal! People are dying on the way to these ER’s. I took my husband to LICH ER today and he got excellent treatment for something that they could manage-no waiting. No ambulances going there and empty beds. They’ve already stripped the awnings on Amity Street. If I had gone to Methodist, we’d still be there. Why aren’t De Blasio and Cuomo insisting on a solution ASAP? This is no different than the VA scandal. There is no reason why Brooklyn shouldn’t have a A1 hospital in that locale. We deserve no less! De Blasio acted like the community had a victory so he could wash his hands of it but the more this goes on, the more suspicious I am about who SUNY has earmarked the deal for.

  • Peggy

    That is what I was afraid was happening. The staff is already burnt out and overextended on top of being burnt out. Worst case scenario has come to pass.