(NOTE: The following was written, and submitted by BPW) Brooklyn, NY: The Boro-Park West Community Association (BPW) today announced a new housing initiative that will provide a major boost to the Orthodox Jewish community in BPW, the area surrounding Maimonides Hospital (MMC).

The plan, which calls for 100 urgently-needed new affordable housing units in BPW, depends on close cooperation between MMC and SBCO/Agudas Israel.

The project, to be named “Maimonides Gardens,” will include 19 two-family homes on 48th Street, the recently-razed Jeffers Funeral Home on Fort Hamilton Parkway, and two apartment buildings on the corner of 46th Street and Tenth Avenue—all owned by MMC.

In a letter to Pamela Brier, Maimonides President, Rabbi William Handler explained: “This project will earn tens-of-millions of dollars for MMC from the sale of greatly-appreciated MMC properties, which will allow the Hospital to make long-overdue improvements in its delivery of medical care.

The plan has been carefully reviewed to make certain that it meets the needs of both MMC and the community. 

A respected independent consultant, the Spector Group, prepared a report for MMC in 1993—entitled Maimonides Medical Center Master Plan—which recommended essentially the same approach: 

The Report states: “All the administrative offices, including executive administration, nursing administration, and finance are in space that has not been designed for offices…This creates inordinate inefficiencies and has to be extremely costly to the institution…not only does this lead to inefficient operation, but also impinges on the community, thus not enhancing community relations…Remodel Kronish Building for all administrative functions.”

Successful completion of this project will open a new chapter in the relationship between Maimonides Hospital and Boro-Park West.