Showing posts with label Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. Show all posts

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Workers remove Cabrini Center awning on East Fifth Street



As we first reported back in March, the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, which provides health care for low-income elderly residents in the East Village, will close this summer.

In November, we noted that developer Ben Shaoul was the mystery buyer of Cabrini on Avenue B at East Fifth Street. Depending on the source, the space here will be converted to rentals or condos...

We never heard an exact closing date for the Center, which opened in 1993. Cabrini officials said in the spring that the closure process would last several months — likely until July.

The photo above by EVG reader @zmack shows that workers have removed Cabrini's awning. We've reached out to Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare, for more details on the closing.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Ben Shaoul is the new owner of Cabrini nursing home, will convert to condos

Report: Local politicians reach out to Ben Shaoul as re-sale of the Cabrini Nursing Center seems likely

More details on Cabrini's closing announcement

Q-and-A with Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Q-and-A with Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare


As we first reported back in March, the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on East Fifth Street at Avenue B will close this summer.

In November, we noted that developer Ben Shaoul was the mystery buyer of Cabrini. The building's previous owner was an unnamed family trust who, according to the Lo-Down, sold Cabrini for $25.5 million. Plans to turn the facility over to a for-profit operator never materialized. (Here's more background on the story and the sale.)

We reached out to Patricia Krasnausky, president and CEO of Cabrini Eldercare, to see how the closure was proceeding. She agreed to answer some questions, done via email.

Where is Cabrini now with the relocation plans for patients at the facility?

Since mid-March, we have been working with the residents and their families to determine their preferences for relocation. We provided lists and facilitated the applications. The biggest challenge is geography. Almost everyone wants to stay in Manhattan and there are not enough places to take them all. We have made an arrangement with a nursing home in Brooklyn that is reopening 156 of Cabrini's beds in Borough Park, and will welcome that number of residents who would like to go together to a newly refurbished environment. They will also hire 60 employees, so that residents and employees may be together again. We are also hosting job opportunities for the staff, and working with the union to facilitate employment.

What has been the general reaction from families, employees about the closure?

The general reaction from the families was anger, naturally. There were promises of protests. Residents and families needed to be helped with their anger and grief. We provided psychologists to assist with this. Employees of course are anxious and grief-stricken as well. We are assisting them and celebrating their service through service awards and parties.

How do you think the closure will impact the neighborhood?

The neighborhood is changing. There are so many rentals and condos, and so few nursing homes in Manhattan. Unfortunately, that is a message to those who need such services. No one is looking forward to more construction on East Fifth Street. It has been a mess for years now.

Have you officially heard what will be coming to the space?

I don't have official information, but I believe the building will contain one-bedroom rentals.

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The nonprofit, 240-bed nursing home — sponsored by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — provides health care for low-income elderly residents in the East Village. The location at Fifth Street and Avenue B opened in 1993. This location serves 240 patients and employs nearly 300 people.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Ben Shaoul is the new owner of Cabrini nursing home, will convert to condos

Report: Local politicians reach out to Ben Shaoul as re-sale of the Cabrini Nursing Center seems likely

More details on Cabrini's closing announcement

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Protest scheduled at Cabrini this afternoon

Several people have told us that there is a protest scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on East Fifth Street and Avenue B. The facility is expected to close this summer to make way for a development that new owner Ben Shaoul is planning for the space.

Cabrini officials told family members of residents last week that they would have to make other arrangements for their loved ones once the home closes.

Per a commenter yesterday:

My mom is at Cabrini... She has been there for three years.

This is a loving and caring Facility.

The seniors at Cabrini need your help...

Come help us keep the doors of this caring facility open..

We need you to come out and be hearts with us...

We are meting tomorrow March 14th at 2and 6PM..

Please come join us .. We need your help....

Please help our loving seniors

One tipster said that City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez will be present this afternoon.

Previously.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

[Updated] Family members react to Cabrini's closure


We mentioned yesterday that WNBC 4 was working on a Cabrini-closure story... Here are a few excerpt's from Gus Rosendale's story...

Family members of residents found out this week that they would have to make other arrangements once the East Fifth Street home closes, likely in July. The Cabrini Center has another nursing home facility in Westchester.

"My mother is in a wheelchair," said Malanke Savanovic, of Bayside, Queens. "We don't know where to put her."

Joe Torre, who lives nearby in Gramercy, makes daily visits to his mom in the nearby home and now fears he'll have to move her to another borough, further away.

"You need to be in there to see the love in there," he said.

Also.

Elizabeth Herring, who lives nearby and whose father lives in the home -- and has spent his whole life on the Lower East Side — vowed to fight the sale of the building.

"This is not over by a long shot, and we are in it for the long haul," she said.

Meanwhile, here's a snippet from NY1's report today:

Joanne Floyd said she has not slept since learning the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in the East Village is closing. Her husband, who has Parkinson's disease, lives in the center.

"I'm overwhelmed, I don't know what to say. It's the most frightening thing I've ever faced," said Floyd. "I can hardly talk. I cared for him at home for four-and-a-half years, he fell, he hit his head and he came here. I've come every day for a year-and-a-half, I didn't miss one day."

Here's our story on it from Wednesday ...

Friday, March 9, 2012

WNBC 4 on the Cabrini closure story


Was curious if or when the mainstream media would pick up on the impending closure of Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on Fifth Street and Avenue B... Here's our story on it from Wednesday ...

Thursday, March 8, 2012

More details on Cabrini's closing announcement

[Photo via GammaBlog]

Here's some follow-up on our story yesterday about the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on East Fifth Street at Avenue B closing in the next four-five months.

First, here's a copy of the letter that circulated to dozens of local elected officials and friends of Cabrini yesterday about the closure...

[Click to enlarge]

A few excerpts...

In order to give families enough time to transition and keep patient care at the highest level, we expect to continue the closure process as long as is necessary, likely until July. We are working collaboratively with the owner, Ben Shaoul of Magnum Real Estate, to ensure that our respective goals are achieved during this time.

The closure process will cost $7 million dollars, which represents expenses including unemployment insurance, pension funding and severance pay for the employees, whose devotion to Lower East Side families has truly made Cabrini a place worth fighting to maintain. To help cover these significant costs, we have requested a $7 million HEAL grant from the DOH. We ask your help in advocating for the Department of Health to grant Cabrini’s worthy request for HEAL funds. If we do not receive these closing funds, Cabrini will be forced into bankruptcy.

We take these obligations very seriously, and are currently in the process of negotiating the sale of 117 beds (the maximum number allowed by DOH, based on borough need), to a private nursing home operator in Borough Park. The transaction, which must be approved by the state, will offset closure costs by approximately $2.5 million and, most importantly, allow some Cabrini residents and employees the option of moving collectively to Brooklyn.

Local officials responded by issuing the following statement:

STATEMENT FROM LOWER EAST SIDE ELECTEDS ON CABRINI CENTER FOR NURSING & REHABILITATION

NEW YORK — Today, State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, State Senator Tom Duane, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, Borough President Scott Stringer, Councilmember Rosie Mendez, and Councilmember Margaret Chin released the following statement:

We are deeply disappointed that Cabrini will be shutting its doors after two decades of service to its patients and the Lower East Side community.

We collectively and aggressively worked to encourage the parties to reach a better conclusion, and believe they should have reached an agreement to keep Cabrini open in its current location until a new site became available.

This is a terrible loss for the Lower East Side, and for the greater New York City community. We're committed to working with Cabrini and the community to ensure a smooth and dignified transition for patients, their families, and Cabrini employees.

In addition, we heard late yesterday afternoon from Kenneth Fisher, the attorney representing developer Ben Shaoul, who purchased the building last fall. Fisher wanted to clarify a point in our post:

Your statement that we would not grant an extension so that Cabrini could build a new facility on land provided by the Archdiocese isn't quite correct. We were willing to consider something, but Cabrini turned out not to be able to move forward with it. We also at their request attempted to sell the building to a for profit operator at their request who turned out not to be able to perform. It was only after those alternatives failed that we advised Cabrini that no extension would be granted. Please bear in mind that this situation was created when the previous seller decided to sell ad set a price that Cabrini couldn't meet. We attempted to work with them in good faith.

Read the full story here.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

[UPDATED] Source: Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation will close in 4-5 months; condos on the way


Ongoing negotiations to preserve the Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on East Fifth Street at Avenue B have been unsuccessful. According to an anonymous source, Cabrini has run out of options and will close its doors in four to five months. During this time, Cabrini officials will find new homes for its residents as well as placement for current day-care clients.

Cabrini officials informed their employees of the impending closure today. Cabrini will work to help place the nearly 300 employees elsewhere.

In November, we reported that developer Ben Shaoul was the mystery buyer of Cabrini. The building's previous owner was an unnamed family trust who, according to the Lo-Down, sold Cabrini for $25.5 million.

According to several sources, Shaoul discussed flipping the building, and at least one interested party was seeking to purchase the property (one estimate put the price in the $36 million neighborhood) and continue operating the site as a for-profit nursing facility. However, those negotiations have ended.

Shaoul's attorney, Kenneth Fisher, had said at the end of 2011 that if Cabrini and the potential new operator failed to reach agreement, then eviction proceedings would commence. "My client purchased the property in good faith, with the intention of upgrading it for an as-of-right use. Their financing is in place and architectural design in under way,” Fisher wrote in a letter published by the Lo-Down on Dec. 30,

The nonprofit, 240-bed nursing home — sponsored by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus — provides health care for low-income elderly residents in the East Village. The location at Fifth Street and Avenue B opened in 1993. This location serves 240 patients and employs nearly 300 people.

Cabrini officials had been planning to relocate to an unspecified site owned by the Archdiocese of New York in the next five years. However, without a lease extension on East Fifth Street and ample opportunity to find a new home, the facility would lose its state-issued operating license.

The anonymous source believes that the Cabrini building will be converted into condominiums.

UPDATED 5:30 p.m.

A clarification from Kenneth Fisher:

Your statement that we would not grant an extension so that Cabrini could build a new facility on land provided by the Archdiocese isn't quite correct. We were willing to consider something, but Cabrini turned out not to be able to move forward with it. We also at their request attempted to sell the building to a for profit operator at their request who turned out not to be able to perform. It was only after those alternatives failed that we advised Cabrini that no extension would be granted. Please bear in mind that this situation was created when the previous seller decided to sell ad set a price that Cabrini couldn't meet. We attempted to work with them in good faith.


Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Ben Shaoul is the new owner of Cabrini nursing home, will convert to condos

Report: Local politicians reach out to Ben Shaoul as re-sale of the Cabrini Nursing Center seems likely