Some residents of Avondale, Ohio, want to stop Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's up to $650 million expansion into their neighborhood, according to WCPO.
The hospital's proposal includes a new emergency room, 10-story patient tower and 1,100-car parking garage. This expansion would require zoning changes, rerouting streets surrounding the building and destroying six to nine homes to accommodate the expansion.
At a recent City Council Neighborhoods Committee public hearing, 30 Avondale residents spoke out against the plan accusing the hospital of pushing through the expansion at the expense of the neighborhood.
Hospital officials say they pledged $11.5 million over five years to help the community and relocate the residents impacted by the expansion, according to Cincinnati.com. Michael Fisher, Cincinnati Children's president and CEO, told WCPO that time and proximity matter for critically ill patients and "that's why this location connected to our existing buildings right across the street will be essential."
The Neighborhoods Committee was scheduled to vote Aug. 1; however, two members were unable to attend, forcing the vote to Aug. 2. If a quorum is not reached, the vote may be delayed until next week. After the committee votes, the full city council will consider the issue.