Business agent Ben Silva, representing registered nurses at Christ Hospital (now Heights University Hospital), told the council the hospital planned to lay off more than half of its nursing staff and reduce several clinical units, including the endoscopy and cardiology lab. Silva asked the council to ensure the hospital property’s zoning would preserve an acute-care medical use and prevent redevelopment that would reduce local access to hospital care.

Why it matters: Sudden service reductions at a local acute-care provider could reduce access to inpatient and specialty services for downtown Jersey City; community members and hospital staff urged the council to protect the site through zoning or other measures.

What was said
Ben Silva, business agent for HPAE Local 5186, said management served layoff notices and planned unit closures at the hospital, and he warned redevelopment plans could remove essential hospital capacity. He requested the council take steps to preserve the entire hospital parcel for medical use.

Council follow-up
Staff and council members asked planning and legal staff to clarify current zoning. The administration said the property is zoned for medical use (M) but that officials would confer with planning staff and the planning board about options to protect the site in a more durable way. No formal zoning change was proposed at the meeting.

Ending: The council requested information from Planning and Corporation Counsel to determine what tools exist to preserve hospital land for acute care uses and to report back to the council and community.