SHARE

Yonkers Hospital Gets Expansion Support From Residents

YONKERS, N.Y. – Yonkers is getting behind a city hospital hoping to expand.

Thousands of Yonkers residents have signed petitions and letters supporting the expansion of the emergency room at St. John's Riverside Hospital.

Thousands of Yonkers residents have signed petitions and letters supporting the expansion of the emergency room at St. John's Riverside Hospital.

Photo Credit: Matt Bultman

More than 17,500 residents have signed letters or an online petition supporting the restricting and expansion of the emergency department at St. John’s Andrus Pavilion, 967 N. Broadway, hospital officials said Monday.

The support comes after the hospital announced in November it had filed an application with the New York State Department of Health for $10 million in grants to fund the project.

At the time, hospital president and CEO Ronald Corti said the work, estimated to cost a total of $15 million, was needed because the hospital has seen an increase in patients seeking emergency care.

The emergency department is designed to accommodate 25,000 patients but serves about 38,600 each year, Corti said. And projected growth rates show the hospital may soon see as many as 50,000 visitors annually.

“Yonkers supports this project because they recognize that the current facility doesn’t meet the community’s needs and they know they deserve best in class emergency services,” Corti said Monday.

The hospital says its goal is to increase its emergency department from 19 treatment areas to 29. A larger emergency department design would also feature observation bays, a geriatric area and an urgent care center as well as separate patient and ambulance entrances, hospital executives said.

City officials reiterated their support for the hospital’s expansion efforts Monday, noting St. John’s was the largest private employer in Yonkers.

“Clearly, Yonkers needs this expansion and modernization of emergency room capacity,” Mayor Mike Spano said.  “The St. John’s health network plays a vital role in the health of Yonkers residents as well as the economic well-being of the City of Yonkers.”

to follow Daily Voice Yonkers and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE