FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Tuesday, May 3, 2005

Ground Broken for Kings County Hospital Behavioral Health Center

BROOKLYN – A groundbreaking ceremony was held today for a new Behavior Health Center at Kings County Hospital Center. This is the four phase of the hospital’s modernization project. The Dormitory Authority continues to provide oversight of the design and construction process.

The new $140 million center, to be labeled the “R” Building, will be located near the intersection of Winthrop Street and New York Avenue, between the “A” and “T” buildings, with its main entrance on Clarkson Avenue and emergency room entrance on Winthrop Street.

The seven-story, 300,000 square foot building will have 230 private and semi-private inpatient mental health and chemical dependency beds, a new psychiatric emergency room, and comprehensive psychiatric outpatient services.

“The beginning of construction for this center marks a new era in behavioral health services at Kings County Hospital Center,” said Jean Leon, Kings County Hospital Executive Director and Senior Vice President of the Central Brooklyn Family Health Network. “It will serve to further enhance our ability to provide the highest quality care in a safe, modern and customer-centered environment.”

Dr. Pierre Arty, Deputy Executive Director of Behavioral Health at the hospital, said, “This new facility will help us give patients with mental illnesses, multiple disorders and chemical dependency the best clinical care possible in a clean, modern and efficient setting.”

The hospital began its five-phase modernization in 1997 with a plan to replace outdated facilities, consolidate services on the 44-acre hospital campus and upgrade the settings for the delivery of high-quality health care. Phase One, a new seven-story 340-bed inpatient tower, opened in December 2001. Phase Two, a new emergency, diagnostic and treatment pavilion, is scheduled to open later this year. Phase Three, scheduled to open in a year, is the renovation of the “E” Building to become the ambulatory care center, with seven floors of outpatient suites, exam rooms, teaching facilities, walk-in clinics, a geriatric center and outpatient pharmacy.

Phase Five, now in planning, will provide new facilities for the support departments, demolition of vacated buildings and new landscaping throughout the campus.

Taken together, the modernization projects are the largest hospital development project ever undertaken by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. The Dormitory Authority has been HHC’s construction partner since January 1997.

Robert Walsh directs the Authority’s HHC Construction Program, with Senior Project Manager Robert P. Thelian heading up the team for the Behavioral Health Center. The architect is Rogers, Burgun, Shahine and Deschler Inc. Construction management is being provided by a joint venture of Gilbane Construction and TDX Construction.

For more information, contact Press Officer Claudia Hutton at (518) 257 3382, or CHutton@dasny.org.