The Rockaway Beach Medical Arts Complex at 105-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd. in Queens, New York — Courtesy: CHA Partners
By Joshua Burd
Bloomfield-based CHA Partners has marked the opening of a new women’s health facility in what it says is an underserved section of New York City.
According to the firm, the Margaret O. Carpenter Women’s Health Center is the latest addition to the Rockaway Beach Medical Arts Complex in the Rockaway section of Queens. It’s also another step in CHA’s effort to repurpose the former site of Peninsula Hospital, which closed after being damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, spurring a multiyear effort to bring health care services back to the neighborhood.
Local officials and executives from Episcopal Health Services, the operator of the space, joined CHA last week to celebrate the grand opening of the new women’s health facility at 105-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd.
“Since our inception, CHA has remained focused on filling the void for medical and health care services where they are needed most, and the opening of the Margaret O. Carpenter Women’s Health Center will mark a new day for patients in the Rockaway Beach region,” CHA Managing Partner William J. Colgan said. “We are thrilled to stand alongside executives from St. John’s and all of the key stakeholders who made the completion of this project and opening of this facility a reality.”
In a news release, CHA said the office will provide gynecological and obstetrical care with an array of women’s health care subspecialty services in one location, including maternal fetal medicine, urogynecology, gynecology, oncology, breast surgery, nutrition and behavioral health. It will also have modern equipment and technology including two 3D mammography machines, a bone density machine and ultrasound machine.
“The goal for the Women’s Health Center is to improve and maintain the health of women to prevent a decline in health and the need to be hospitalized in the future,” said Jerry Walsh, CEO of Episcopal Health Services. “The lack of accessibility to health care services is evident in the fact that the Rockaway community sees a higher rate of pregnant women who seek late or no prenatal care when compared to the overall New York City rate. By creating this women’s center in the community, we are improving access to women’s health services in Rockaway.”
CHA completed the Rockaway Beach Medical Arts Complex in 2019, noting that the facility reached full occupancy in June 2021. Other services on site include primary care, dermatology, endocrinology, physical therapy, behavioral health, cardiology, neurology, general surgery and cancer care.
The firm built out the facility with the support of a $9 million New Market Tax Credit financing allocation, provided by the New York City Economic Development Corp., in collaboration with Chase Community Development Bank.
“This is an important milestone in Rockaway’s recovery from COVID-19, as we advance Mayor (Eric) Adams’ commitment to providing community health care in neighborhoods most impacted by the pandemic,” said Andrew Kimball, NYCEDC’s chief executive and president. “NYCEDC is proud to have supported the development of the Rockaway Beach Medical Arts Complex, which will house the Margaret O. Carpenter Women’s Health Center and offer lifesaving, affordable preventative care to Rockaway residents.”
Additional tenants at the Rockaway Beach complex include MercyFirst Children and Family Care and the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Rockaway Beach. The medical center will provide health care services for some 5,000 community members annually.
“We’d like to extend a special thank you to the NYCEDC for sharing in our vision for this project and providing the tax incentives that led to the opening of this facility, which will serve the community for many years to come, ” said Kobi S. Leifer, a partner at CHA Partners.
