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- 90 Maiden Lane.
BY CYNTHIA MAGNUS | Community Board 1 is feeling left out of the loop. A methadone clinic is moving into the neighborhood and some board members are disturbed because they weren’t notified.
Representatives of Gramercy Park Services LLC, an uptown methadone clinic currently planning a move to 90 Maiden Lane will make a presentation at the C.B. 1 Financial District Committee meeting on Wednesday to explain their plans to sublease space and share a floor with an existing substance abuse treatment practice, Metropolitan Corporation for Life Skills.
The C.B. 1 meeting is meant to provide its members and area stakeholders the opportunity for questions and input about the Gramercy clinic’s move from 253 Third Avenue to Downtown. Board members had been disturbed last month to learn of the move planned without prior notice to the community.
Ro Sheffe, chair of the C.B. 1 Financial District committee said he expected a “fact-finding meeting,” adding about the planned relocation of the clinic, “I don’t think categorically it’s a bad thing.” Sheffe did express concern that planners may think of the area as non-residential. “I would venture to say that the corridor along Maiden Lane is one of the most residential areas Downtown.”
The NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) is the agency that processes applications and approves the location of treatment centers. Members of the community have questioned the failure of OASAS to liaise with area stakeholders earlier. Janette Rondo, OASAS Director of Communications, has not responded to multiple requests for information.
Catherine McVay-Hughes, C.B. 1 co-chair said, “ A lot of people are wondering how this process got to this point without any community notification or input. We want to understand how this state-run OASAS approval process works.
Larry Kroll, Ph.D. is said to have purchased the originally-named Gramercy Park Medical Group P.C. in January 2010 for $70K – $80K, according to sources. Kroll currently operates several other substance treatment clinics in Illinois. The new (and expected to be renamed) Gramercy Park Services would double its current operating space to 6000-7000 square feet at 90 Maiden Lane.
Tom Doherty, a consultant with the firm Mercury Public Affairs, LLC, and an advisor to Kroll, said, “We weren’t trying to be evasive with anyone,” explaining that the issue of moving the Gramercy clinic Downtown had not seemed a major one, since Metro Corp already served substance abuse patients in the space. Doherty added, “We would love and welcome an advisory board made up of local residents and community board members.”
Noah Pfefferblit, C.B. 1 District Manager responded, “If they want to make an offer as part of a discussion, it will be up to the members and the full board.”
The C.B. 1 Quality of Life Committee chair Pat Moore said, “If that is indeed true it indicates a willingness to work with the community,” but added that Doherty’s comment “implies that it’s a done deal.”
Moore said, “If they really did want to have community input they would have come to us before they chose the space.” She asked, “Why keep it a secret – why not have an open and frank discussion about a facility that we might not be impacted by at all?”
Doherty would not discuss the $137,000 lawsuit Mercury has against Gramercy Park Services LLC, Gramercy Park Medical Group P.C., and Raymond Sanchez, a one-time clinic administrator. Mercury Public Affairs, LLC, the public strategy firm co-chaired by former Missouri senator James Talent and former Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer provides political consulting, media relations, and lobbying among other services. The clinic engaged Mercury’s services beginning May 2007 for $5000, and later $7500 per month.
The Mercury website states, “Our expertise and reach help prominent figures, leading advocacy groups and the world’s most successful companies gain advantage in must-win situations.” Prior to joining Mercury Doherty was Governor George Pataki’s deputy secretary for appointments – a senior advisor position which oversaw the nominations and appointments of New Yorkers to all state boards.
Doherty said that Kroll flew agents from AM Property, the managing agency for 90 Maiden, out to Illinois to inspect Kroll’s other clinics and see first-hand how well they are run. Paul Wasserman, of AM Property, did not respond to repeated messages inquiring about the trip and the lease agreement.
Kroll declined to comment before the meeting about the current situation.
Sheffe said, “I think drug rehab is a very necessary thing and that people earnestly seeking help deserve it. It’s just a question of whether the location is appropriate.”
Moore said, “I’ll be interested to see if we have any negotiating power with the clinic.”
