By Scott Sieber
During its annual gala at Lincoln Center Monday, the hospital raked in a substantial $4.3 million to be used to fund the construction of the facility as well as to help fund various community and in-house research and education programs.The funding is the largest amount ever raised for a hospital at a one-night event in the tri-state area, according to hospital spokeswoman Cynthia Bacon, and it is coming just in time.”We're going to expand our cardiac services. This way we have more room to see more patients because that's where the critical need is,” Bacon said. “Our emergency room is completely busting at the seams.”In 2001, the hospital received a total of 61,000 emergency room visits. By 2004, the number had jumped to 72,000.At the black-tie event, 2,500 guests were entertained by the world-renowned American dance company, the Joffrey Ballet. But the biggest talk of the night came about due to the hospital's thick pockets.”New York Hospital Queens' ability to raise $4.3 million for its programs and modernization projects is a validation of support from community leaders, local businesses and physicians who believe in this hospital and wish to see it thrive for the future of the people of Queens,” said NYHQ President Stephen S. Mills in a prepared statement. “Achieving this much support is a true testament to the outstanding people who work at this institution and who have made it the hospital of choice for the residents of this borough.”Although the exact date for the ground-breaking has not yet been determined, the new $200 million hospital wing is slated to be built over the current patient parking lot, west of the main campus facing Main Street. To compensate for the loss of the patient parking facility, a new parking lot will be constructed, upping the number of parking spaces from 125 to about 500.When first proposed at the Queensboro Hill Neighborhood Association several months ago, some residents spoke out against the plans, worried about increased traffic congestion, pollution and the possibility that several homes near the proposed site would need to be demolished.The hospital, however, has pledged to work with area residents and community organizations to ensure that the design will be sensitive to the surrounding community.Bacon said the hospital hopes to have the facility completed sometime between 2007 and 2008.Reach reporter Scott Sieber by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
