The David H. Koch Ambulatory Care Center broke ground yesterday, despite objections by a handful of left-leaning organizations who previously protested Koch’s association with the building following a $100 million donation. The donation is the largest in New York–Presbyterian Hospital’s history.
The New York Post reports that the “cutting-edge” center will offer “innovative ambulatory care to patients being treated for cancer, digestive diseases and other conditions.”
In March, a handful of groups objected to Koch’s donation and the naming of the new building after him. Among the groups demonstrating was the New York States Nurses’ Association, which took issue with his stance on the Affordable Care Act and other matters. The New York chapter of the NAACP and a local SEIU group also took part in the protests.
Despite the protests, New York–Presbyterian thanked Koch for his contribution to the center.
“This enormously generous gesture is a gift to not only our hospital but also to New York,” the board’s chairman said in a statement. “I applaud him for his leadership, and it’s my privilege to have him as our partner in shaping the health care of the future.”
The 450,000-square-foot center is expected to open in 2018.