Signage for the Claire Shulman Pavilion is now up at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens.
The hospital system put up the sign earlier this month after having renamed the pavilion in honor of the late Queens borough president and trailblazing nurse.
Neil Moore, CEO of Queens Hospital, said the hospital system is deeply honored to have Shulman’s name permanently affixed to its pavilion.
“Claire’s undeniable legacy as a guardian and champion for Queens Hospital and the patients we serve is unparalleled. Her advocacy and leadership not only protected the hospital from privatization but also laid the foundation for modernized, equitable healthcare in Queens,” he said. Renaming this pavilion is a fitting tribute to her lifelong dedication and ensures that her legacy of courage, compassion, and service will inspire future generations.”
Moore added that he is thankful that Queens Borough President Donovan Richards is building on Shulman’s remarkable legacy.
“His unwavering support for Queens Hospital and his commitment to equitable healthcare continue to champion the values Claire held dear. Inspired by Claire’s leadership, Borough President Richards remains a steadfast ally in our mission to serve the diverse communities of Queens. His advocacy ensures that the spirit of Claire’s work lives on, and we are grateful for his partnership,” he said.
Richards told QNS on Monday that Shulman was a trailblazing force who tirelessly advocated for all Queens residents, especially regarding their healthcare. He also described the lasting impact their close relationship had on him.
“She was also my friend and mentor, whom I still deeply miss. That’s why I am so thrilled with the installation of the new sign that tells all the world that the Pavilion Building at NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens has been renamed as the ‘Claire Shulman Pavilion.’ This renaming will help keep Claire’s indomitable spirit alive in all who work in and visit that incredible health care facility,” he said.
Before she became a political leader, Shulman began her public service career as a nurse at the same hospital in the 1940s.
Born in Brooklyn in 1926, Claire Shulman trained as a nurse and began working at what was then Queens General Hospital, now NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens, in the late 1940s. She met her husband, psychiatrist Dr. Melvin Shulman, at the hospital, and their shared commitment to healthcare and community became a foundation of her public life.
Shulman’s entry into civic service began in the 1970s as chair of Community Board 11 and later as Director of Community Boards under Borough President Donald Manes. She was appointed Borough President in 1986 following Manes’ resignation and became the first woman to hold the post in Queens’ history. She won the election to the position later that year and was reelected three more times, serving a total of 16 years until 2002, making her the longest-serving Queens borough president at the time.
During her time as Borough President, Claire made sweeping changes that helped usher in an era of prosperity and modernization that continues to this day. Significantly, in healthcare, her leadership helped secure over $150 million in capital funding to modernize Queens and Elmhurst Hospitals. These efforts laid the foundation for the Queens Cancer Center of Excellence and major emergency service expansions that today serve more than 400,000 patients annually.
On Thursday, May 1, a large ceremony was held in her honor to celebrate the news of the plaza’s renaming. Among the attendees were Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz, NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens CEO Neil Moore, Schneps Media President Victoria Schneps, and Shulman’s children, Dr. Lawrence Shulman and former NASA astronaut Dr. Ellen Baker.
