Construction of the new Village Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing officially began on Jan. 6 with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of a former garage at 214 W. Houston St., between Sixth Ave. and Varick St. The new $37.5 million, 105-bed facility, being built by Village Care of New York, is scheduled to open in 2010, and will replace the Village Nursing Home at W. 12th and Hudson Sts. At the ceremony, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn called the new facility “a very exciting project that will serve seniors from the Village and allow them to stay in the Village in a way that’s accessible.” Arthur Webb, Village Care president and C.E.O., pointed out that the center is the first such new facility being built in Manhattan in nearly four decades. “It’s a great day for the Village,” Webb said. Village Care’s board chairperson, David Sidwell, said the project shows that “Village Care is incredibly committed to serving the people of the Village and the people of New York.” Henry Amoroso, president and C.E.O. of St. Vincent’s Hospital, pointed out that the hospital and Village Care “have had a partnership for a long time taking care of people in this community. Our seniors deserve nothing better than what this facility has to offer; this is the best,” he said.
