A years-long battle between Lenox Hill Hospital and local residents continues as the hospital says an expansion is needed to modernize, but some residents are suing, claiming the project will disrupt quality of life in the neighborhood.

“It’s kind of the same story weve been saying since day one, five, six years ago, that the size and scale is much too big for the neighborhood,” Stacy Krusch, a board member on the Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood.

What You Need To Know

A years-long battle between Lenox Hill Hospital and local residents continues as the hospital says an expansion is needed to modernize, but some residents are suing, claiming the project will disrupt quality of life in the neighborhood

The nonprofit Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood are plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed Tuesday against Lenox Hill Hospital’s owner — Northwell Health — the City Council and the Department of City Planning, challenging the plan to expand the hospital with the construction of a new 370-foot tower

The committee says the City Council’s approval of the zoning change in August that allows for construction violates the State Environmental Quality Review Act

Northwell has said their project had a years-long public review process that included engagement with community members, elected officials and city agencies

The nonprofit committee are plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed Tuesday against Lenox Hill Hospital’s owner — Northwell Health — the City Council and the Department of City Planning, challenging the plan to expand the hospital with the construction of a new 370-foot tower.

The committee says the City Council’s approval of the zoning change in August that allows for construction violates the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

“This is a residential neighborhood, and Lexington Avenue is so small compared to the others, it just doesn’t fit here and would change the neighborhood character forever — not just what they estimated as 10 plus years of construction,” Krusch said.

Northwell has changed the proposal for the expansion over the years to address community concerns, cutting the height of the tower from 436 feet to 370 feet.

Supporters say revitalizing the hospital will, expand access to behavioral health services through a new outpatient mental health center, expand the hospital’s emergency department and add a dedicated mother-baby hospital, plus a drive-through ambulance bay.

Some residents, however, say the area has enough hospital beds, and that more beds are needed in other parts of the city.

“The Upper East Side doesn’t need any more hospital beds. We have hospital deserts in our city so they should redirect more hospital resources elsewhere in the city,” Krusch said.

NY1 reached out to Northwell for its response to the lawsuit, and while a spokesperson said they do not comment on active litigation, they did provide a statement, saying in part:

“The approved plan represents a responsible and necessary investment to modernize a 160-year-old hospital campus to ensure it can continue to provide quality care for New Yorkers for generations to come.”

Opponents say if they can’t stop the expansion, they hope this lawsuit will push Northwell to come up with a more scaled down project.

Northwell has said their project had a years-long public review process that included engagement with community members, elected officials and city agencies.