Give us solutions, not empty lots

To the Editor:

Thank you for showcasing a basic conflict between local families and an institution (“Residents complain about SNCH parking,” Nov. 3-9).

There used to be a nice neighborhood of middle-class homes between Merrick Road and Oswald Court, facing the north side of South Nassau Communities Hospital.

The hospital tore them down, took the properties off the tax rolls and created a wide expanse of parking lots, which don’t meet the parking needs of its employees and visitors, causing overflowing parking problems on surrounding streets.

When asked why the hospital didn’t erect a multi-tiered parking garage as part of its expansion, a hospital employee responded that a parking garage wouldn’t fit into the “aesthetic” of the hospital. The last time I checked, I thought a hospital was there to help the sick and serve the community.

The resulting problem infringes on the rights of property taxpayers, creates a potential danger to children in the neighborhood and inconveniences many neighbors, many of whom are retired and elderly.

As this problem did not appear overnight, why is it taking the hospital so long to take action and alleviate the problem?

John Rowe

Oceanside