PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Dr. Moeun Son, Physician, on MSK Pavilion Project
2:35:58
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137 sec
Dr. Moeun Son, a physician and local resident, testified in opposition to Memorial Sloan Kettering's (MSK) proposed Pavilion and rezoning requests. While acknowledging MSK's importance in cancer care, Dr. Son expressed concerns about the project's impact on the community, particularly PS 183 elementary school.
- Criticized MSK's lack of community engagement, especially with the school
- Called for an independent environmental advocate to ensure construction safety
- Opposed the proposed building height and lack of setback, arguing that much of the space isn't for patient care
- Questioned the need for increased capacity on the Upper East Side, given that only 14% of patients are from New York City and Manhattan
Dr. Moeun Son
2:35:58
Okay.
2:35:59
I I'm Doctor.
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Mohan's son, and I'm a physician.
2:36:02
I live in the building.
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I also work at one of the local hospitals in the neighborhood.
2:36:06
I have 2 young boys, their ages 58, and they both attend PS 183, which is the public school elementary school that everyone's talked about.
2:36:14
That's literally one building over from the proposed construction.
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My dad died of lung cancer after a 5 year battle, and I've taken many patients with cancer.
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And I've had many friends who have battled cancer.
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So I very much admire m m s k that they do.
2:36:31
So I'm not here to argue that m s k is not an amazing institution that does an amazing job of taking care of really challenging cancer cases.
2:36:39
I'm here in full opposition of their proposed Pavilion and their rezoning requests.
2:36:44
You know, I was really disappointed today because the Bemaski presenters spoke a lot about, you know, how they spent so much time building trust and engagement with the community And I will say that there has been very little engagement up until very recently with the school.
2:36:56
Many parents didn't even know what was going on.
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And so that's why we have even more concerns about making sure that they're really gonna do their due diligence to make sure that this construction is safe.
2:37:07
And make sure that our kids are out of ways harm.
2:37:10
I completely agree for the need for an environmental advocate that is independent of MSK and their affiliates to really reassure parents that everything is gonna be as safe as possible.
2:37:21
You know, we can talk forever about the potential short term and long term impacts of the construction, the air quality, asbestos, etcetera.
2:37:28
You know, I was a student at Stuyvesant High School during 9:11, and I still have friends to this day who are battling product conditions and cancer from our exposures.
2:37:37
But what we're what this hearing really is about is the rezoning request.
2:37:41
The 2 biggest problems are the height proposed and the lack of a setback.
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The problem with the height is that not only is it it most of it is not even having to do with patient care.
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But it you know, we just spent the construction is gonna take such a long time.
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It's gonna probably take longer than my kids are even in the school.
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The second issue is that, you know
UNKNOWN
2:38:03
Stop is expired.
Dr. Moeun Son
2:38:04
That 14% of the patients are only from New York City and Manhattan, yet I'm not sure why the capacity needs to increase all on the upper east side.