Brookhaven approves NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk pavilion in East Patchogue

A new seven-story, 144-bed pavilion at NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk, the centerpiece of a planned $650 million expansion of the East Patchogue healthcare facility, has been approved by the Brookhaven Town Board.

The board, acting as the planning board, voted 7-0 Thursday to OK a site plan and improvements, including new landscaping and additional parking for the 35.8-acre parcel on Hospital Road.

The planned hospital expansion is one of several major projects proposed or completed in recent years by NYU Langone on Long Island. Earlier this year, the healthcare chain proposed a multibillion-dollar Melville facility that would be Long Island's first new hospital since 1980.

The East Patchogue pavilion faced no opposition on Thursday and received support from union leaders who said it would create construction jobs.

Dozens of union members seated in the audience applauded when the town board voted.

NYU Langone spokesman James Iorio could not say when construction would start.

In a statement, Iorio said approval of the pavilion was "an important step for the community and for the future of healthcare in Suffolk County.”

NYU Langone officials have said the pavilion will centralize nursing facilities and improve spaces for the pharmacy, physical therapy and other support services, Newsday previously reported.

The hospital formerly was known as Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center and then Long Island Community Hospital before NYU Langone completed a merger, taking over the facility last year.

Officials said NYU Langone already had taken significant steps toward improving the hospital. 

Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico recalled Brookhaven Memorial's past reputation when he said, "You almost second-guessed going to that hospital."

The planned expansion, he added, "is going to serve the residents of Brookhaven ... really quite well."

Brookhaven previously had approved new parking areas for the hospital as part of the expansion.

Overall, parking will increase from 1,058 spaces to 1,200, NYU Langone representatives said Thursday.

Brookhaven Councilman Neil Foley, who represents East Patchogue on the town board, said some residents had expressed concern about traffic.

But he noted that no opposition to the project was raised Thursday during a public hearing before the vote.

"The fact that the members of the public didn't show is basically their endorsement of the project," Foley said.

During the public hearing, Vincent Alu, business manager of Laborers Local 66, said the pavilion would create construction jobs and improve healthcare options in Brookhaven.

"This puts a lot of us to work," Alu told the town board, adding NYU Langone's recent opening of a new 54,000-square-foot ambulatory center in a former clothing store on East Main Street in East Patchogue was "nothing less than remarkable."

NYU Langone officials could not say how many jobs the hospital expansion would create.

The expansion also was hailed by Sen. Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue), who told the town board he had been impressed by NYU Langone's community involvement since buying the hospital.

The pavilion, he said, was "another step in the right direction."

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.