Mount Sinai Moves Ahead On $1 Billion Health System Plans

EAST VILLAGE, NY — Mount Sinai Health System is moving ahead on its $1 billion health system changes in Downtown Manhattan, the health behemoth announced Monday.

The health system filed documents with the state Department of Health for a new Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital at Second Avenue and East 13th Street, a few blocks away from its current site, Mount Sinai said.

"Today marks an important step forward in Mount Sinai's $1 billion commitment to rebuild, renew and revitalize health care for the Downtown community. From the new Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital and enhanced New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, to an expanded and enhanced ambulatory network and a new Mount Sinai Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center, we are transforming how health care services are delivered to New Yorkers," chief clinical officer of the Mount Sinai Health System Jeremy Boal said in a statement.

Pending approvals, the new hospital will begin construction in 2020 and open in 2023, according to Mount Sinai.

The former hospital, located on First Avenue between 16th and 17th streets, will remain open until the new hospital opens, according to Mount Sinai. The site will be sold, a spokesperson for the hospital said.

Hospital officials announced in 2016 the existing Mount Sinai Beth Israel First Avenue location would close and be replaced with a smaller building to include 70 hospital beds and an emergency department. The current facility has 683 hospital beds, though officials have said less than half are in use, Crain's New York Business reported.

The new hospital will integrate the hospital with the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.

Myriad other Downtown services are also a part of the $1 billion "transformation," including a new $140 million behavioral health center at the Rivington House in the Lower East Side. Mount Sinai says the new center will offer a "holistic approach to mental health" at a "one-stop location."