The Long, Sad Story of the Selling of LICH

By on August 9, 2016 1:03 pm in Brooklyn History, Cobble Hill, Development, Health, History, Neighborhoods, News, Real Estate

Thanks to Mary Frost, of the Brooklyn Eagle, we now have a detailed chronology, with links to Eagle stories giving further information about each incident, of the steps leading to and following the sale of Long Island College Hospital.

Despite the money SUNY received from the sale of LICH, SUNY Downstate continued to have financial difficulties. The New York Post reports that State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has faulted “lavish travel, lodging and dining expenses” paid to consultant Pitts Management Associates, Inc., which was hired to help SUNY Downstate reorganize itself in order to cut costs. Pitts’ website includes an endorsement from SUNY Downstate’s President, Dr. John “Skip” Williams:

I believe SUNY Downstate might be closed today if it hadn’t been for the activities PMA initiated and provided for us. With your help we were able to work our way out of a substantial deficit position, establish financial controls, develop financial statements, and reorganize physician compensation and the supply chain function. Within one year of partnering with PMA, our hospital took in over $30 million in profit after years of closing the fiscal year in debt.

Dr. Williams became President of SUNY Downstate in August of 2012. The decision to close and sell LICH followed in February of 2013.

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  • Jorale-man

    Good reporting from the Eagle. It really underscores the importance of local journalism to keep officials honest.

    I’ve been watching the slow demolition of the LICH buildings out my window with some trepidation. It’s inevitable that a high-rise will appear there in the future, as real estate developers always win in this city. How out-of-scale it will be remains to be seen. I’m guessing twice as tall as the hospital buildings.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Video of Mayor Bill at LICH:

    https://vimeo.com/71615854

  • gc

    Mayor Bill the real estate shill

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    Fine acting from BdB. How does that man live with himself?

  • rubenkincaid

    De Blasio himself owns two properties in Park Slope, and pays $2900 a year in taxes on each place he rents out for 8-12K per month. Talk about income equality.

    Half of NYC property value belongs to owners of 1-3 family homes, yet they only pay 15% of the $18.7 Billion owed to NYC coffers per year. It’s not fair. It’s a 06% RE Tax.

    The entire resurgence of Brooklyn could not have happened without cheap taxes. DeBlasio himself knows the system and totally games it.

  • MaryT

    You actually want higher residential property taxes in a world financial center city? Wha? NYC ain’t no suburb.

  • Wally O’Keefe

    LICH is a blaring example of political corruption. Loosing that hospital resulted in scores of people loosing their lives too early. Every politician involved in the process failed the public, and also every NY State Judge involved. This is an outrageous example of a complete failure of government to serve the vital interest of the community.

    Investigate Fortis, follow the money. They need to go to jail, too.