Valley has grown beyond its original intent
OCTOBER 17, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
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Valley is beyond its original intent
by Laurence O’Donnell
Valley Hospital has disappointed us, to say the least. In its relentless campaign to nearly double its size on the same 15-acre site, it is turning to the court in Hackensack. It apparently finds no message in the facts it was turned down by the Village Council in 2010 by a resounding vote of 5-0 and on resubmission of a substantially similar plan to the Planning Board, by a vote last May of 5-2 against the expansion.
The case against the massive expansion is simple: It is too much for a site surrounded by homes with a major middle school at one end. Valley doesn’t seem to accept this.
Seventy-five years ago, before the hospital was built, the 15-acre site was occupied by a horse farm — probably acceptable to the neighbors. The original intent of the hospital was to serve the community — also acceptable to the neighbors and the community.
Actually, Valley started to tread in troubled waters three or four decades ago when it changed its mission from a community hospital to a regional one. Many Ridgewood residents wondered if the hospital and the community could handle big increases in patients, visitors and traffic. Their concerns proved to be valid.
Hackensack’s news yesterday that they are merging with Meridian will change the playing field.
Hackensack is extending it’s scope of service, is that fair or not fair ??
Doctors still hope to survive the financial stress too.
In Ridgewood Many are selling their practices to Valley in exchange for an interest in the hospital.
Complicated ??? Lawyers are doing the same thing in large firms. Why ?? We the public are in the middle of all this … so what can we do ??
With this ridiculous plan to double the main campus, as well as buying up other properties around Ridgewood, the main objective has always been to stay competitive with Hackensack. It has never been that this proposal is in any way, shape, or form to be in the best interests of Ridgewood. It’s not, and they know it.
Boycott Valley and all doctors associated with it. Dr. Cannaliato (Mahwah) suggests that Valley move. We agree, I’m sure Meridian can take this property and make it work in its current size? Renew within, you wasted so much time asking for unrealistic increases that you now deserve to fail. Don;t forget to blame the town for your failures too. Pascack Valley and Hackensack now seem like great alternatives for the 6% that are now suffering in Ridgewood. Remember, what Valley is asking for not one single resident would be allowed to do. Follow the rules of the H-Zone and Master Plan. Now shut up and accept the town decisions. Dr. Cannalialto calls our boycott actions childish and spiteful? Valley’s actions are Bulling with funds to do so. Some residents would now rather die in an ambulance than be taken to Valley!
Excellent letter.
One can only hope that every board member at Valley reads Dr. Cannaliato’s letter as Mahwah would be an excellent, and often mentioned option, for Valley to consider.
Valley is not going anywhere…..and when this long overdue project is presented to a superior court judge
On neutral ground valley will prevail. And, yes it’s going to be expensive….you can thank your council for that….the town should be forced to pay valleys legal bills as well for folding under the pressure of the few NIMBY’s at CRR.
For those whose didn’t see Dr. Cannalito’s letter, it can be found at https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/the-record-letters-saturday-oct-18-1.1112286
His final statement is “The Valley Hospital should not have to repeatedly put up with this nonsense. It would be better served if it boycotted the village and moved the hospital to another town.”
While our motivations are different, I have to agree with his conclusion – if Valley continues to contend it simply can’t live within the confines of the H-Zone and some normal sized variances, it would be better served if it moved.
He is the former Director of the Department of Pediatrics at The Valley Hospital.
HUMC along with Legacy Partners did a true “renewal” of Pascack Valley by renovating and modernizing the EXISTING building of Pascack Valley. Google HUMC PV.com and you will see 128 single patient rooms with new equipment and a wide array of services. They did so, without wasting huge sums of money and without being hostile and disruptive to the host community . In HUMC PV , Westwood now has a well functioning for profit hospital properly sized in a proper location which pays its fair share of municipal taxes. A win win for all . Valley could/ should have taken this course of action to widen its regional coverage instead of attempting to close PV but they took the low road again. The courts saw right through Valley’s doubletalk and their legal machinations failed. Same will happen with their combative attempts to bully the village into a improper overbuild. Maybe a few Valley trustees with integrity and smarts would consider approaching HUMC/Legacy partnership and seeing if they would be interested in buying Valley and renewing it like PV to be a further part of their wide network. If valley is incapable of plotting out a future beyond over expanding on a wrongly situated property then let others.
More nonsense. If it ever moves forward to being heard it will fail because they have no basis. “Cover up for our ineptitude” isnt a basis for unlimited overexpansion. Geez why not make it 3 million .Hypocritical institution that argued agaisnt loose concepts of inherent benefit and regional need in their attempt to close Pascack and now they cry wolf. Another poor move by valley that will only alienate the community.
#7- Once again, see if you can answer this: The benefit to doubling the size of Valley for the residents of Ridgewood is…
Now, try and keep any personal thoughts like a relative working there out of the process. Even you should be able to come up with one.
Let us not forget the reason why Valley is a no, should be a no, and will always be a NO! Detriment, Detriment, Detriment! Valley makes me sick, not that sick, I won’t go there anymore! I believe Valley has both bully’s and morons at the helm. They are the spiteful ones who don’t give a darn about anyone but themselves. I saw in an article after their defeat that mentioned they should accept this decision and put forth reasonable variances that should be accepted if they need more room here and there…just like everyone else in this town. You are a non taxpaying pompous bully-Valley…stop the nonsense and conform. No Judge, in his right mind is going to overturn this decision. By the time your mess is over, most of us will be long gone. Ridgewood needs to just get a Public Defender, for free, like Valley’s taxes. Don’t make all the taxpayers suffer! Let’s all figure that 2% cap increase on taxes for sure now. We figured on it anyway? Christie, is looking pretty good now? U liberal holes! “Boycott Valley “signs from CRR soon? I doubt it, a little to Politically Incorrect (but true)?. Enjoy the WE
Why haven’t the Mayor and Deputy Mayor stood up to Valley and their board and told them to go F$%! themselves ?
because they want Valley to expand to soak in the campaign contributions
Hopefully Valley does leave, we could cut the size of our police & fire substantially without Valley’s presence. They contribute no payment for their consumption of municipal services, their board is full of out of touch, arrogant pricks, and their CEO is a megalomanic.