Completion of the Flood Wall at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan

Photo Courtesy of NYCEDC

The Ribbon Cutting Includes the Completion of a Perimeter Flood Wall and an Upgraded Storm Water Detention System to Ensure New Yorkers Can Continue to Receive Critical Care in the Event of Future Flooding

Today, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), NYC Health + Hospitals, and community stakeholders celebrated the ribbon cutting of a new flood protection system at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan in East Harlem. The Metropolitan Hospital Flood Wall Resiliency Project was initiated by NYCEDC and NYC Health + Hospitals in 2016 following Hurricane Sandy to address the hospital’s flooding vulnerabilities given its close proximity to the East River and the growing climate risks of coastal storm surge and extreme rainfall. The completion of the Metropolitan Hospital flood wall fulfills a key priority of NYC Health + Hospitals’ Climate Resilience Plan, which details improvements to hospital infrastructure to ensure the public health system’s resilience in the face of climate change, and aligns with a core objective of New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done to protect the city’s shorelines. Released in April 2023, the plan outlines the city’s long-term strategic climate plan highlighting the city’s efforts to protect New Yorkers from climate threats and create a more resilient, equitable, healthy city.

This innovative flood wall varies in height from 8 feet to 12 feet and includes new entrance openings with resilient floodgates of up to 45 feet in width, enabling Metropolitan Hospital to withstand a one-in-500-year storm event. The project will protect the hospital campus from significant flooding caused by heavy rain and storm surge, which are becoming increasingly common. These upgrades will ensure patients receive uninterrupted critical care. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded the $112 million project, which includes the construction of a perimeter flood wall and an upgraded storm water detention system.

The project’s protective measures will prevent future flood waters from reaching the hospital, minimizing damage to infrastructure and allowing the facility to remain operational during hurricane and super storm events. The project reconfigured areas of the hospital exterior to support the flood mitigation system, while allowing for hospital functionality, public accessibility, and emergency vehicle access. Improvements were made to protect loading docks, harden the Mental Health Building walls, and relocate hospital medical supply services. Additionally, construction teams installed new lighting, erosion controls, fire protections, and security enhancements.

Improvements were also made to Metropolitan Hospital’s public spaces with the creation of a picnic area along First Avenue, in addition to new public seating and landscaping around the campus that creates a more welcoming environment for Metropolitan’s patients. NYC Health + Hospitals and NYCEDC have incorporated artwork into the design of the flood wall. After a competitive selection process on behalf of representatives from NYC Health + Hospitals, NYCEDC, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and community members, local artist Miguel Luciano was chosen to incorporate artwork into the overall project

When Hurricane Sandy hit New York City in October 2012, nearly every large NYC Health + Hospitals facility sustained damage from rain, wind, and flooding. The most significant physical damage and serious flooding occurred at three of the public health system’s acute care hospitals—Bellevue, South Brooklyn Health, and Metropolitan—and Coler, a long-term care and rehabilitation facility. At Metropolitan Hospital, the majority of staff endured the storm to provide uninterrupted care for patients. In the storm’s aftermath, power was lost in sections of the hospital, resulting in relocation of patients within the building. Facilities personnel also worked throughout this period to provide temporary flood protection measures, to restore power lost when various generators were impacted, and to provide temporary dewatering where pumps had failed.

Over the past ten years, the health system has made significant strides to make its buildings and campuses more resilient, including opening a brand-new, storm-resilient hospital at the NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health and erecting flood walls, installing new boilers, and creating elevator flood protection at several hospital facilities. A total of 30 resiliency projects were initiated across the four primary affected facilities. The public health system secured approximately $1.8 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for these resiliency projects.

Protecting New York City from rising sea levels and future weather events is a critical component of the city’s resiliency efforts. In Lower Manhattan, the city has begun construction of the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resilience project, consisting of the Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Costal Resilience, Seaport Coastal Resilience, FiDi/Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan, and Battery Coastal Resilience.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook or Twitter.

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan is the community hospital of choice for residents of East Harlem, northern Manhattan and neighboring communities. The hospital provides culturally-sensitive care in a welcoming and hospitable setting, emphasizing primary care medicine and utilizing the latest advances in medical science. It is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal hospital and health care system in the country. For more information, please visit nychealthandhospitals.org/metropolitan.