WHAT IS GOING ON?

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) is constructing a nearly 600-foot-tall pavilion on York Avenue between 66th and 67th Streets. The MSKCC pavilion is slated to take six years to complete, with demolition – including removal of asbestos, lead-based paint, and other toxins – already underway.

MSKCC has not provided sufficient assurances to P.S. 183 elementary school parents and Lenox Hill neighborhood families that it is safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our children who live and learn near the construction site.

WHO WE ARE

Lenox Hill F.A.C.T. (Families Advocating for Children to Thrive) is a grassroots effort led by parents whose children attend P.S. 183 and families who live in the Lenox Hill neighborhood of the Upper East Side. We are working together to mitigate the impact of ever-expanding health-care facilities in our residential neighborhood – specifically the impact on our children, who deserve to grow up and learn in a safe, healthy environment that balances the needs of local hospitals with that of the community in which they are situated.

OUR MISSION

Lenox Hill F.A.C.T. aims to educate 183 families and the public about the proposed pavilion that Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) seeks to build on York Avenue between 66th and 67th Streets. The proposed pavilion will be nearly 600 feet tall, or the equivalent of 60 stories. The proposal is based on projected cancer rates, and although we strongly support MSK’s mission, we believe that the hospital must ensure the safety of those living and going to school in the neighborhood.

OUR PRIMARY CONCERNS

• Air-quality monitoring during construction & demolition of the existing building, which is already underway. The building is confirmed to contain asbestos, lead-based paint, and other potentially harmful toxins.
• Noise mitigation measures to minimize learning disruption during school hours. Demolition has already begun and the project is anticipated to take six years to complete.
• Attention to increased traffic & vehicle congestion with appropriate safety measures for children related to street closures and construction, as well as to increased traffic and congestion once the pavilion is operational.
• Attention to logistical issues regarding drop off and pick up, as well as to the ongoing impact of demolition and construction on school-related activities (recess, after school, PTA events, shadows affecting the school windows and/or yard, etc.).

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR

1.       We have requested that MSKCC communicate with parents effectively, transparently, and in a timely fashion regarding this ongoing project. We are hoping for a collaborative engagement between P.S. 183, the community, and MSKCC to ensure that the safety of our children is at the top of their minds at all times during this demolition and construction.

2.       We are also requesting an ENVIRONMENTAL PEDIATRICIAN to act as an INDEPENDENT ADVOCATE – an expert in child safety when it comes to pollutants and all other aspects – for our children, funded by MSKCC, who will conduct a comprehensive overview and analysis of potential impact on the school /children and will recommend tangible plans to protect the children and their education.

3.       We are asking MSKCC to abide by the conditions stipulated in Community Board 8’s approval of the re-zoning, which states that MSKCC must design a pavilion that “meets the needs of MSK to care for the projected increase in cancer patients in a lower profile structure than currently proposed.”

4.       We are also asking MSKCC to abide by the condition set forth by CB8 for MSKCC to enter into a community benefits agreement with the city, based on the input of local residents and CB8. Such an agreement would improve community infrastructure, including parks, schools, and the esplanade and demonstrate MSKCC's willingness to be a good neighbor to the community in which it is located.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1. Sign the petition!
2. Email or call District 5 Council Member Julie Menin to demand a balance between MSKCC’s needs and those of the community. You can find a script you can use here: https://tinyurl.com/3ayn86c6
   Phone: 212-860-1950
   Email: District5@council.nyc.gov
3. Get involved if you would like to learn more about this project and help us make sure our kids have a safe and healthy environment in which to live and learn!
4. Follow us on X @LenoxHillFACT