>A Valley insider had this to say:
Birthing babies is the MOST profitable aspect of Valley Hospital. They are losing potential mommies to hospitals with more SINGLE rooms. Now, every new mother to be wants a single room and she is willing to pay the extra $s for it. Valley wants to be able to provide that single room to every pregnant patient that wants one. Ka ching!
For this, they need to set aside an entire new wing, also moving diagnostic and pediatrics with it.
It is definitely about competition, but it’s competition over getting the profitable patients not in getting the most high tech equipment and personnel to handle the more expensive illnesses. Manhattan, after all, is not that far away.
Is it possible for valley to get what it wants without changing the building code?
We don’t really know, do we? They have not been made to provide other scenarios as yet (forget the DVD, that’s their opening gambit). They have not been made to provide an EIS (Environment Impact Statement). That should be necessary given that they are requesting a CHANGE in the town’s code. The EIS will provide much needed independent information to residents and planning members about noise, pollution, traffic, growth, pedestrian safety, effectiveness of proposed abatements, etc.
“Not-for-profit” and “competition” are an ungainly fit. So should the residents nearby (and the Village’s character) bear the brunt of this problem that Valley faces?
The planning board needs to ask the right questions. These will not be the questions Valley wants to be asked.
Let’s hope they are up to the task.
>Live near hospital,,,got a letter from an environmental company (possible EIS?) saying they were coming around to test soil… the way i hear it someone on steilen caught the company drilling into their property and called the cops… they were quickly escorted off… Town Hall says they new nothing about the letter… and Valley had no right trespassing. Could this be what you mean?
>Call the person that sent you the letter and ask questions.
>Look, if you want Valley to do their homework and be safe, etc., for neighbors, you can’t also tell them they can’t do the necessary soil testing on your property…you can’t have it both ways, friend. Here they are trying to assess environmental impact, it seems. Isn’t that one of the things you NIMBYs want?
>Who says I can’t – you – and no i don’t want it both ways, i want was is right for the town. Safe is no more expansion. The traffic for the last 10-20 yrs has gotten out of control around the school and the town. This is a community (village) not a city.
>My wife drives my kid to BF every morning and I pick up pretty much every afternoon. Same thing for past two years and then for two years with other child. (First year at BF we lived RIGHT near the school.) I honestly don’t think there is a traffic “problem.” Is there increased traffic around school times? Sure. I would expect that. But I make the whole trip from the farthest corner of BF’s district and back in just a few minutes. I get MORE frustrated with the traffic in front of Whole Foods most afternoons! Traffic near Valley is not as big a problem as the NIMBYs want us to think.
>Thank you, and my point is well taken…. there is to much traffic in this town. Why do we need anymore? By the way, do you not see the stream of cars coming out of the hospital at that (3:00) time and how they line up at the light. I too go by in the morning at around 6:50, do you see how fast they go trying to get in for the morning shift… come on now, we do not need anymore traffic. Buying all those houses along van dien and Linwood – do they next plan to extend both corners for two lanes… Think about it….enough is enough let them redo from the inside. They surely have enough space.
>Stop with the name calling. Pick a side and address the issue….
>I’m still not convinced there will me a measurable amount of MORE traffic. Why do you think that? With the same number of beds, just improved services, it’s not like they’re doubling the number of patients or something. I just don’t see the factual basis for the increased traffic fears. ???
>how about the number of patients that will be receiving out patient services after all that renovation. how about the number of doctors on staff? i could go on and on but i will leave that for another person to comment.
>As whatshername said in “Gone With The Wind”, “I don’t know nothin bout birthin babies!”.
>VH left me sitting on gurney in empty xray hallway for hours. had to wheel myself back.