Winning Takeover Bid For Long Island College Hospital Falls Apart
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The winning bid to take over operation of Long Island College Hospital officially fell through on Monday, and the prospective operator blamed SUNY.
State University of New York spokesman David Doyle announced Monday that the university was "unable to executive a satisfactory contract agreement" with Brooklyn Health Partners, following "good faith negotiations" over a period of 30 days.
SUNY said it will be moving ahead with the second-highest bidding proposal for operating the hospital.
The company that came in second has a joint proposal with Maimonides Medical Center and North Shore-LIJ Medical Center. It would include out-patient services at Long Island College Hospital and a new clinic in Red Hook.
In a separate statement, Brooklyn Health Partners argued that the negotiations were not in good faith at all.
"We are deeply disappointed that for the last 30 days SUNY has failed to negotiate in good faith," the hospital said. "Despite SUNY's failure to produce important documents until late this weekend, BHP produced all requested documents and a 10 percent down payment to close."
Brooklyn Health Partners -- was selected because it was the only one of the top three bids seeking to build a full service hospital at the site.
But last week, state and city officials said Wednesday the company is unlikely to be able to fulfill its promises, and that it was a "fantasy."
Mayor Bill de Blasio, who worked so hard as mayor and previously as city public advocate to save the hospital -- he even got arrested during a protest, had since formally asked the state to find another developer.
The mayor said another bidder should be engaged to insure quality, uninterrupted care and maximize service for the 75,000 Brooklyn residents who rely on the facility.
But Public Advocate Letitia James said last week that she was not willing to throw in the towel. She wants a full service facility, not walk-in clinics and an emergency room.
Community supporters of the original bidder were also upset with the mayor's decision. Dr. Johnnie Green of Mount Neboh Baptist Church mobilized preachers and communities, saying that to allow another company to come in "… will not end the inequality in our city. This kind of behavior will only reinforce the tale of two cities."
The hospital is currently set to close on May 22.
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