Author Topic: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue  (Read 294186 times)

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #195 on: May 21, 2011, 07:31:05 AM »
20492 For those of you who were wondering, the April 28, 2011 Hackensack Zoning Board Special Meeting was cancelled due to lack of quorum.

Last month marked the 2 year anniversary of these special meetings. ProspectAvenueCoalition would like to thank all of the Hackensack residents who have attended each of these meetings and for their tireless support in the opposition to the applicant's request for approval of 14 (or it is really 67=14+53) variances needed to build a 19 story hospital on Prospect and Summit Avenues.

Attached as an anniversary gift is the transcript from the first special meeting (April 15, 2009) and as a bonus also attached is April 29, 2010 transcript.   

REMINDER - TUESDAY MAY 24, 2011 and JUNE 28, 2011
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING
RE: BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #196 on: May 23, 2011, 09:19:53 PM »
20571

TOMORROW'S MEETING ON MAY 24TH IS CANCELLED AGAIN DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM
« Last Edit: May 31, 2011, 10:30:08 AM by swapcatsr »

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #197 on: May 26, 2011, 09:32:34 PM »
20723 The next, and what should be the final, meeting will be on Tuesday JULY 26 2011 at 6:00 PM . The Agenda will likely include cross examination of Objectant Expert Lacz, further cross examination of LTACH Expert Keller, and, perhaps the decision vote by the Board.

FINAL MEETING DATE - TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 at 6 PM
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING
RE: BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION

Flyer attached.

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #198 on: June 02, 2011, 07:32:38 AM »
20908 REMINDER - TUESDAY JUNE 28, 2011 HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 AT 6 PM.

FINAL MEETING DATE - TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 at 6 PM
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING
RE: BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION


Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #199 on: June 12, 2011, 11:30:18 AM »
21227 My emphasis highlighted by bold red:

SeekingAlpha.com

Hackensack hospital sells hospice program

Tue May 10, 2011 10:57 am | about: AMED
NEWS PROVIDED BY: McClatchy

May 10--Hackensack University Medical Center has sold its hospice operation to a Louisiana company that had purchased the hospital's home health care program in 2009.

Amedisys Inc., which specializes in home health care and hospice services, announced the purchase of the hospital's eight-bed inpatient unit last week for an undisclosed sum.

The unit, housed in the top floor of the for-profit Prospect Heights Care Center on Prospect Avenue in Hackensack, will remain in the same location with its current staff, said Hackensack spokeswoman Nancy Radwin.

"This transition of care will proceed over a period of time and is subject to customary closing conditions and approvals," Radwin said.

The Baton Rouge firm has not determined whether it will expand the unit, said Jacqueline Chen Valencia, Amedisys' senior vice president of marketing.

"Providing high-quality patient care is one of our company's main operating tenets, and we are excited about the opportunity to extend our high-quality hospice service into New Jersey, said William F. Borne, Amedisys' chief executive officer.

"We have worked closely with HUMC since acquiring their home health operations in 2009 to provide patients a seamless transition of care from the hospital to home. We are eager to expand this relationship to hospice services," he said.

For-profit corporations have been acquiring hospice programs nationwide, said Donald Pendley, president of the New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. In New Jersey, about one-third of the state's 58 hospice programs are operated by for-profit companies, he said.

"For-profits normally focus on patients in nursing homes while the non-profits deal a lot with patients still in their homes," Pendley said. "It doesn't really matter whether it's for-profit or non-profit running the program. What's important is that if the patient or family is not happy, they have a federal right to transfer to another hospice program and both programs are required to assist in the transition."

Hospital officials said the sale will not change the quality of care for patients.

"At HUMC, our focus is always on providing the most advanced, top-quality care possible to the people we serve, either directly or by partnering with providers who share our philosophy," said Dianne Aroh, executive vice president, chief nursing and patient care officer at HUMC. "We believe this vision is shared by Amedisys, and by completing this transaction and working together to streamline the transition of care to our patients, we will strengthen the end-of-life care being provided to our community."

E-mail: williamsb@northjersey.com
___
To see more of The Record or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.northjersey.com.
Copyright (c) 2011, The Record, Hackensack, N.J.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail services@mctinfoservices.com, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544)

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #200 on: June 26, 2011, 11:10:28 AM »
21543

FINAL MEETING DATE - TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 at 6 PM
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING
RE: BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #201 on: June 28, 2011, 07:23:50 AM »
21584 THERE IS NO MEETING TONIGHT.

The JUNE 28, 2011 HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 AT 6 PM.


FINAL MEETING DATE - TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 at 6 PM
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING
RE: BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION


Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #202 on: July 10, 2011, 06:31:49 PM »
21933 The transcripts from the April 2009 and April 2010 Hackensack Zoning Board Special Meetings were attached in an earlier post dated May 21, 2011 and the December 2009 transcript was attached on January 27, 2010.

In 2009 the meetings began in April and there were no meetings scheduled in the months of August, October and November. Attached here are the remainder from 2009: May, June, July, September.

We have it on good authority that the Zoning Board will make its decision on July 26th as to whether or not to build this hospital on Summit and Prospect Avenues on a site zoned for residential and multi family dwellings. The meeting starts an hour earlier (6pm). Please come when you can.

FINAL MEETING DATE - TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 at 6 PM
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING
RE: BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #203 on: July 24, 2011, 08:03:40 PM »
22323 Attached is a revamped flyer.

FINAL MEETING DATE - TUESDAY JULY 26, 2011 at 6 PM
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING
RE: BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION


Offline 07601bergen

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 3
  • Karma: 0
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #204 on: July 26, 2011, 02:55:48 PM »
PLEASE PICK UP THIS FLYER AND SIGN IN TONIGHT FOR UPDATES AFTER TONIGHT'S HEARING.

DEAR COMMUNITY MEMBER:
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT’S IMPORTANT ZONING BOARD HEARING.
YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE LTACH APPLICATION.  AS YOU WILL BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BRIEFLY, PLEASE DO SO.  IF YOU DO NOT PLAN ON SPEAKING WE URGE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER SAYING THE FOLLOWING AS EVERY VOICE COUNTS:
STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS
“I OPPOSE THE LTACH APPLICATION AND ASK THE ZONING BOARD TO DENY IT.”


Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #205 on: July 26, 2011, 07:04:20 PM »
22394 DECISION DAY

The Zoning Board Meeting was scheduled to start at 6:00 pm but did not begin until about 30 minutes ago. There are over 100 people here and they are still coming in.

Come to the 3rd floor auditorium at 65 Central Avenue.

Offline Editor

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4430
  • Karma: 17
    • View Profile
    • Hackensack Now
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #206 on: July 28, 2011, 09:10:22 AM »
I understand that there was no decision at the last meeting and that the next meeting is scheduled for September 15th.

Offline Editor

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 4430
  • Karma: 17
    • View Profile
    • Hackensack Now
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #207 on: July 28, 2011, 01:50:08 PM »
Discussion continues for new hospital in Hackensack
Thursday, July 28, 2011
BY MARK J. BONAMO
MANAGING EDITOR
Hackensack Chronicle

HACKENSACK - The recent summer heat wave has only added to the slow burn many Hackensack citizens feel toward the potential construction of a 19-story, long-term acute care hospital at the corner of Summit and Prospect Avenues.

More than 100 residents attended the July 26 Zoning Board meeting to listen to continued testimony about the proposed project, one of more than 20 special meetings held regarding the planned medical facility since 2009.

If approved, the proposed hospital would be built at 329 Prospect Ave.

According to deed records, Bergen Passaic Long Term Acute Care Hospital LLC purchased the property, presently occupied by a residential home, in 2007 for $1.33 million. Company president Richard Pineles also owns Prospect Heights Care Center, a 180-bed nursing home facility close to the site, as well as Regent Care Center, a nursing home on Polifly Road.

The proposed hospital would provide a range of medical services if constructed. The 120-bed facility would have 10 floors dedicated to patient rooms, a dialysis center with 63 stations and an adult medical day-care center equipped for as many as 180 people. The facility would also include several driveways and five levels of underground parking.

City officials have stated that the project will need site plan approval, as well as more than a dozen variances in order to go forward. These include variances for use, parking and lot size. Pineles is also seeking approval to knock down two-story homes on four lots to build the hospital. The site is currently zoned for residential and multi-family buildings.

Pineles first proposed constructing a 24-story hospital with 140 beds and an adult day-care center equipped to handle 250 people. However, he revised the facility's plans in late 2009.

Pineles has previously declined comment about the project, stating that it was company policy not to comment on a project that is pending and that is being proposed to the public.

Many residents of the neighborhood surrounding the site of the proposed medical facility have been arguing against its construction since Pineles began seeking approval for the project. The majority of the July 26 meeting was taken up by the cross-examination of Stan Lacz, a planner working with one of the lawyers who is fighting the project.

Lacz was questioned by Joseph Basralian, an attorney representing Pineles. But during a break, several residents came forward to express their displeasure with the proposed hospital project.

"The number of people here tells everyone how we feel," said Joan Betty Schwarz, a Prospect Avenue resident. "I can't remember anyone from the neighborhood speaking in favor of this project."

"First, there will be all that construction. Then, after that, we're going to have the excess traffic," said Murray Cuperman, another Prospect Avenue resident, referring to the neighborhood's quality of life. "We have a lot to lose here."

Although the special meetings concerning the proposed hospital have gone on for many months, most of the residents present appeared to remain committed to stopping the project.

"It's slow as molasses, but necessary," said Dr. Mark Johnson, who lives on Summit Avenue. "When this becomes a court case, which I think it will when the board rejects the plan, all of the topics that are being covered are going to be important for the judge to hear information about."

The next special Zoning Board meeting about the proposed hospital is scheduled for Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 65 Central Ave.

Email: bonamo@northjersey.com

Offline Oratam_Weaping

  • HackensackNow Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 57
  • Karma: -2
    • View Profile
    • Weap Integration in planniNG (Weaping)
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #208 on: August 01, 2011, 09:08:15 PM »
To approve this application would not only cause irreversible immediate and long-term, complications for city residents, local business & their patrons, but also municipal services. Any additional tax revenues would be negated by remedial services. It is also poor planning on part of the applicant. The applicant should do a 1031 exchange and possible development deal for a location on Essex Near Railroad Ave., or along River Street in the  vicinity of Atlantic or Passaic Street.

Offline Prospect Avenue Coalition

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
  • Karma: 8
    • View Profile
Re: 24-story tower for Summit Avenue
« Reply #209 on: August 14, 2011, 06:15:57 PM »
22982 ProspectAvenueCoalition would like to thank the residents of Hackensack (100+) for attending what we had hoped would have been the final Zoning Board Special Meeting re: Bergen Passaic Long Term Acute Care Hospital application. We were as disappointed as you that July 26th was not Decision Day. Through our sources we learned that the Zoning Board was ready to vote on the Pineles application in October 2010 and we had it on good authority that the Zoning Board was expected to vote on July 26th.
 
It appears that Mr. Stan Lacz, a highly experienced architect, engineer and planner, who was brought in to testify by Mr. Chris Ditkas (objector counsel retained by a Prospect Avenue resident) must have been such a credible expert witness that the applicant’s counsel needed to take another crack at either knocking down his testimony and/or his credentials. It seemed like both to me. I guess when you bring back an expert witness to cross examine you should try to avoid questions which open up issues that you do not want to go on the record like -- why the applicant had not already conducted geology testing at the proposed site or why the public has not yet heard the findings on the 300 Prospect Avenue garage collapse.

At the end of the Special Meeting on July 26th, no decision was made so the Zoning Board scheduled the next meeting date for Thursday September 15th at 7 pm and invited the public to come to comment on the Bergen Passaic Long Term Acute Care Hospital application. Comments from the public may be limited to 3 minutes per person depending on the queue.

One of the applicant’s expert(?) witnesses will return to the hot seat for more questioning. There will be a secret special rebuttal witness (Mr. Pineles). If Mr. Pineles gets up to the mic again this may be your last chance to tell the applicant what you think of the Bergen Passaic Long Term Acute Care Hospital.

In the end if the Zoning Board turns down this application and the applicant is not happy with the outcome the applicant may appeal the Zoning Board decision. The appeal judge who hears this case will look at all of the transcripts and read the expert witness testimony as well as the comments made by the public. If the public has no objection to the application then the judge may send the application back to the Zoning Board with instructions to build as was done with the Prospect Heights application.

Regarding Prospect Heights, a few weeks ago I met a nurse and thought to inquire as to whether or not nurses would welcome any new job opportunities that Bergen Passaic Long Term Acute Care Hospital might present and also asked if they were familiar with Prospect Heights in Hackensack or if they knew anyone who worked there. I was told that Prospect Heights is known as not a good place to work, should be avoided when seeking employment and the level of care there was not up to standard. Yikes.

Meeting flyer attached. Transcript from July 26th Special Meeting to follow.

SAVE THE DATE - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2011
HACKENSACK ZONING BOARD SPECIAL MEETING AT 7 PM
CITY HALL 3RD FLOOR AUDITORIUM AT 65 CENTRAL AVENUE
BERGEN PASSAIC LONG TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITAL APPLICATION

 

anything