Fordham Hospital

Fordham Hospital was the first public hospital in the Bronx, New York City, having opened in 1892. Prior to that time, all the New York City municipal hospitals were in Manhattan. It was located in the Fordham section of the Bronx on Valentine Avenue near Kingsbridge Road, which at the time was a relatively undeveloped area, and inconvenient for patients and their families.[2] It moved to Aqueduct Avenue and St. James Place in 1898.

Fordham Hospital
Geography
LocationFordham, The Bronx, New York, United States
Coordinates40.85922°N 73.88135°W / 40.85922; -73.88135
Organization
Care systemPublic
FundingGovernment hospital
TypeGeneral
Affiliated universityFordham University
Network
Services
Beds387 (in 1976)[1]
History
Opened
  • 1892 (hospital)
  • May 11, 1907 (moved to new building)
ClosedJuly 15, 1976
Demolished1976
Links
ListsHospitals in New York
Other linksList of hospitals in the Bronx

New building

On May 11, 1907, the hospital moved to a 4-acre (1.6 ha) location just northwest of the intersection of Southern Boulevard and Crotona Avenue, adjacent to what was then St. John's College, now Fordham University. The architect was Raymond F. Almirall.[3] The hospital and university were affiliated at least to the extent of sharing the hospital president, who was also the dean of Fordham's medical school, which opened in 1913.[4] Medical students from the Fordham University School of Medicine (1905-1921)interned at the hospital.[5]

In the mid-1930s, the Federal Art Project sponsored interior murals by artists Emily Newton Barto and Elizabeth Deering.

Artist Elizabeth Deering painting one of the Fordham Hospital murals on April 26, 1939
Artist Emily Barto painting one of the Fordham Hospital murals on October 6, 1937

Closure

The hospital was closed on July 15, 1976, by a decision of the then owner, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation,[6] despite extensive community protests,[7] including a sit-in. Amongst those opposing the closure were Bronx Community Board 6 and Borough President Robert Abrams.[1] The building was demolished soon afterward. The site is now The Fordham University Rose Hill Parking Facility.[8] The NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, considered the new North Central Bronx Hospital as the replacement for both Fordham Hospital and Morrisania Hospital.[1]

References
  1. Bird, David (23 April 1976). "Why the Fight for 'Deplorable' Fordham Hospital". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  2. History of Medicine in New York: Three Centuries of Medical Progress, Volume 3, by James Joseph Walsh, 1919, page 728.
  3. The City Record, Volume 34, Part 5, by New York (N.Y.), page 4528, May 11, 1906.
  4. Fordham: A History and Memoir, by Raymond A. Schroth, page 127.
  5. Shen, Vivian. "Research Guides @ Fordham: Fordham University History: Schools that Once Were". fordham.libguides.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  6. "Fordham Hospital Closing July 15". New York Times. July 3, 1976. p. 20. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  7. "The Ram", Fordham student newspaper, November 19, 1975, page 1.
  8. M, Linder Tia. "Rose Hill". www.fordham.edu.
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