Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital will spend millions of dollars to limit the amount of carcinogenic dust nearby students are exposed to during a major UES construction project, but parents say the cancer hospital still isn't doing enough to curb the toxins.
Parents like Yasmina Kaleo say the $10 million the hospital has spent on air quality monitors and playground upgrades will be ineffective and could actually make air quality worse on the Upper East Side.
“This list of 'benefits' doesn't address any of the health concerns,” said Caleo, who is part of the opposition coalition Families for Healthy Children of Lenox Hill (FACT).
“In fact, it will only exacerbate health concerns by inviting more construction. The whole neighborhood is already a construction site.”
MSK's investments also include a new playground at nearby PS 183, an independent engineer to monitor air quality, additional crossing guards, and renovations to 24 Sycamores Playground and East 72nd Street Cul-De-Sac.
Through negotiations with City Council Member Julie Menin, MSK has also promised to purchase air conditioners for the school and local residents expected to be affected by the project, but to the dismay of some parents, has not provided any air purifiers.
“We are asking for HEPA filtration systems in our schools,” Caleo added. “The response from MSK was, 'We thought if we installed an air conditioning unit we could keep the windows closed.'”
All trucks will be washed down of debris before leaving the construction site, Mennin's office said. Other measures supported by the funding include an all-electric tower crane to reduce noise, sound barriers on the site fence, dust abatement measures, emissions control and increased scaffolding heights to provide more daylight for nearby residents.
“We weren't looking for money,” Caleo added. “We're interested in health and that our kids are safe.”
News of the new funding came just hours before the New York City Council's Subcommittee on Urban Planning and Franchising unanimously approved a major rezoning required for the 900,000-square-foot site.
“As chair of the health committee and as a breast cancer survivor, I think it’s incredibly important that MSK is able to add an operating room in a city where the cancer rate is so high,” said City Council Member Lynn Schulman.
“Councillor Menin has done a lot for the community, first and foremost, but she is also someone who holds MSK accountable during the construction process,” Shulman added.
The plan is scheduled to be voted on by the City Council on September 26th.
Asked for comment on the parent group's complaint, the hospital said, “We thank the Zoning and Franchising Subcommittee for approving the MSK Pavilion project, and the Upper East Side community and Council Member Julie Menin for their important input and involvement throughout the planning process. The Pavilion will allow us to continue providing world-class, cutting-edge cancer care for future generations.”
