Construction of a planned 20-story nursing home on West 97th Street could have negative health and environmental effects, Upper West Siders said at a public meeting.
In May, the New York State Department of Health had ordered the developer, Jewish Home Lifecare, to carry out an environmental review of the $250 million, 414-bed project before kicking off with any construction. Opponents of the project said that the state only gave the order for the review after a private study found high levels of lead in the soil around the development area.
The review will look at topics such as the use of hazardous materials in construction, the project’s impact on local transportation and air quality issues, among others. But it won’t examine topics such as the use of natural resources or the effects on open space, something community residents expressed concern about, DNAinfo reported.
“This document is decidedly pro-development,” Jean Green Dorsey, who lives in the area, told DNAinfo.
“Jewish Home welcomes this public process,” Bruce Nathanson, a vice-president for JHL, said at the meeting. [DNAinfo] – Hiten Samtani