Local politicians join hospital rezoning cause

Two months after agreeing to hand off the site of its nursing home on 106th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues to developer the Chetrit Group, Jewish Home and Hospital is seeing local politicians fighting to rezone the spot and keep future construction under 15 stories tall. City Council member Melissa Mark-Viverito said that she is filing the application to rezone and, subsequently, stop the Jewish Home and Hospital site from being turned into a residential tower, according to the Westside Independent. The move has caught the attention — and support — of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, State Senator Bill Perkins and Assembly member Danny O’Donell. Over the past several weeks, many area residents have been vocal in their opposition to the proposed construction, expressing outrage and betrayal over the land swap between the hospital and the developers.