It has been more than 20 years since United Hospital closed at the end of 2004. An article in The New York Times captured the local feeling in its headline, “Community reels over plan to close its only hospital.”
United’s history dated back to 1889, when a group of 14 women formed the Ladies Hospital Association to “serve humanity, save lives, and relieve suffering.” Initially, they operated a two-bed facility in rented rooms above Scott’s Dry Goods Store in Port Chester.
Over time, the hospital expanded and bought a 10-acre estate (later increased to more than 15 acres) on the Post Road in Port Chester, where a 50-bed hospital was built. By 1911, it was officially named the United Hospital of Port Chester, Rye, and Harrison.
During the 20th century, United Hospital underwent several expansions to meet the growing needs of the community, including the addition of a nursing school.
In 1951, a $1 million expansion added a four-story memorial pavilion and new departments, increasing the hospital’s capacity to 200 beds. Further expansions in the 1960s brought the hospital’s capacity to 340 beds, along with new emergency and x-ray departments.
In addition to large individual donations, millions of dollars were raised for the hospital by the Twig organization. The largest source of funds was an annual golf tournament that the Twig groups began in 1954 as a pro-am event at The Apawamis Club. In 1963, it moved to the Westchester Country Club and later became known as the Westchester Classic.
Despite substantial financial support from the community, United faced growing financial problems, as well as competition from nearby hospitals in Greenwich and White Plains. A major cause of United’s problems was that more than 90 percent of its patients were on Medicare or Medicaid, which tightly controlled reimbursements.
Following the closure, the hospital property remained vacant for several years. In 2006, Starwood Capital bought the site for $28 million. Plans for redevelopment included a mix of high-end apartments and retail shops, but progress was delayed due to zoning and traffic concerns in both Rye and Port Chester.
In 2017, Port Chester and Starwood reached an agreement on a redevelopment plan, but in 2019, it was announced that Starwood had sold the property to a partnership. The new owner, Boston Post Road Owner LLC has asked Port Chester’s Board of Trustees to approve additional apartments and parking spaces, as well as a change in the mix of units.
Demolition of the old hospital buildings began in 2023, and environmental assessments conducted on the site have identifyied the presence of certain contaminants. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently announced that remedial action to address contamination at the site would begin in April 2025. The cleanup, expected to last approximately 20 months, aims to achieve levels that protect public health and the environment.
The City of Rye has expressed concerns about the proposed redevelopment, specifically regarding the potential impact on traffic, environmental issues, and the scope of the project, including a potentially substantial population increase in the Village of Port Chester.
