By Chris Engelhardt
The building that previously housed the Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills is slated to be auctioned at the end of June with an outstanding lien of $14.86 million, according to PropertyShark.
The establishment, a more than 71,000-square-foot-property, at 70-35 113th St. in Forest Hills, was home to the hospital until 2008, when the New York State Commission on Healthcare Facilities shut it down, saying the facility’s state operating license was no longer valid,
The hospital closed its doors after serving the community for more than four decades. Community members said the facility saved a countless number of lives since opening in the mid-1960s. The closure resulted in the emptying of 251 beds and dissolving the jobs of approximately 600 people.
The hospital’s owner, Dr. Robert Aquino, lost the battle to keep the hospital open, and creditors began to pursue him for unpaid debts at the building in 2008. Aquino went on to file a lawsuit against New York state, alleging that the hospital, where he served as chief executive officer, was forced to close down after he refused to pay bribes to then-Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio.
A foreclosure judgement was issued against the establishment May 6.
It was rumored that the property might be turned into a detention center or correctional facility in 2009, according to The Real Deal, but no official plans were ever filed.
The property, which sits on a more than 56,000-square-foot lot, is up for auction June 28 at Queens Supreme Court in Jamaica, according to Property Shark, a real estate website.
Reach reporter Chris Engelhardt by e-mail at cengelhardt@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564
