Readers say hospital planner DID NOT say Valley Expansion was a good idea for Ridgewood
While he acknowledged that they did a nice job designing a 454 bed modern hospital, he DID NOT say it was a good idea for Ridgewood. He said the Planning Board would have to decide if this is something they would want built in Ridgewood. He offered absolutely no expert testimony on what a construction project like this would do to the town, the surrounding area, the schools and the quality of life for the residents. He did not answer any of the questions pertinent to LIVING in Ridgewood. His company has built some very pretty hospitals. Not here, thank you.
He’s a hospital planner and this is the testimony you would expect from him. Of course it’s good planning for Valley and I’m sure it’s a great design but it’s not suitable for the corner of Linwood and Van Dien. Valley needs to put their proposed hospital on a larger lot in a non-residential neighborhood. Enough already.
I read the article and thought the same thing. The Record wrote a misleading heading and everyone thought that the consultant favored the hospital.
He said that it made sense for the hospital. He is a hospital consultant not a municipal planner. He would probably like the contract to eventually work on the Valley expansion.
What is good for the hospital is not good for the village.
Neither this article, nor any Valley supporter at any time has been able to answer the simple question: “Why is the Valley Hospital expansion good for Ridgewood?” Still waiting.
Forget the expansion, what if Valley is never even allowed to renew it’s physical infrastructure or modernize it’s plant & equip ? They already want to move outpatient as part of the expansion. Does anyone think Valley is good for Ridgewood, period ?
They have presented this as though they are a necessity rather than a convenience to the residents of Ridgewood. In my opinion, that attitude has hurt them this time around. Do they need to improve their facility ? Certainly. Do they need to double the size over 7 plus years to do it, most likely not. And, when all is said and done, Ridgewood gets a REALLY oversized building in a residential neighborhood, and nothing else.
I’d be very happy if they folded their tents and moved bag and baggage to Paramus. We could have a nice park.
Fair points #4, if it was just renewal on their existing footprint with plant & equip upgrades to modernize & improve the facility, then it might be more palatable ? I disagree with #5’s point: having a hospital in Ridgewood – which also the largest employer in the Village – is a convenience that surely adds to property values ? The Village can neither afford to buy 15 acres from Valley for a park, nor would that help with tax revenues; we’ve actually had to cut the budget for Parks & Rec to pay for contractual salary, pension & healthcare increases for police & fire. At least with Valley here we can hopefully ask for a cash payment (PILOT) every year for police & fire dept services rendered. I’m not sure why the Council hasn’t done that yet ? It’s been recommended to them for years.
Considering they don’t pay taxes, being “the “largest employer in the Villege” does what for Ridgewood ?
Employs residents ? Allows residents who work at Valley to pay their state & property taxes ? Causes those employees to spend money at Ridgewood businesses ? Means that less residents have to commute to work elsewhere ? I agree with you though, can’t understand why they don’t make an annual payment to the Village in lieu of taxes for the services we pay for and provide as tax payers like traffic control, EMS, and resetting their fire alarms.
Outside of some doctors and nurses, and a few other personnel, how many Ridgewood residents, or family members, actually work there ? And I’ll bet even less do any business in Ridgewood. Of course, they would like you to believe otherwise because that makes for good PR.
So you don’t want Valley in town ? Then go to Hackensack, or NYC when you’re sick.
That’s not what I said. Having ANY hospital close by when you’re sick is a pretty nice convenience to have. Even better, having Hackensack and NYC that close is, if nothing else, a nice perk. But, to use the argument that Ridgewood residents somehow benefit because Valley is the biggest employer in the Village just does not wash.