End of an Era: Mount Sinai Beth Israel Closes After 135 Years in NYC’s East Village

NEW YORK – Mount Sinai Beth Israel has permanently shut its doors, ending more than a century of service in Lower Manhattan. The closure was finalized Wednesday morning, shortly after a New York appeals court rejected a legal challenge filed by residents and advocates hoping to block the hospital’s shutdown.

The historic facility on 16th Street and First Avenue, once home to over 700 beds, was the last full-service hospital in the East Village. By midmorning, signage was being removed and notices were posted confirming the hospital’s official closure at 8 a.m.

Hospital leadership, including Mount Sinai Health System CEO Brendan Carr, confirmed the move in a letter to staff, explaining it as part of a broader reorganization effort downtown. The hospital’s emergency department — the last operating service — has now also ceased operations.

Mount Sinai has been seeking to wind down Beth Israel for years, citing unsustainable financial losses attributed to reduced patient volume. Executives argued that maintaining the large facility was no longer viable, estimating annual losses in the range of $150 million. Though plans to close were delayed during the pandemic, they were revived last year, drawing renewed public backlash.

Local leaders and health advocates warn the closure will severely impact healthcare access for downtown residents. Many remember the prior losses of St. Vincent’s Hospital in 2010 and Cabrini Medical Center in 2008, and fear a growing health care gap in the area.

“This is a devastating blow to the neighborhood,” said one advocate, who criticized the move as leaving a large part of Manhattan without a nearby hospital.

Although Mount Sinai has opened a new urgent care center a few blocks away, critics argue that it is not an adequate substitute for emergency and inpatient services. Some also suspect that the underlying motive for the closure is tied to the real estate value of the property.

A coalition of community members had filed a lawsuit arguing that the closure process violated state regulations and lacked proper oversight from the Department of Health. While that lawsuit was dismissed Tuesday, the group has announced plans to appeal to New York’s highest court.

Elected officials have called on the hospital system to ensure that whatever replaces the facility directly serves the healthcare needs of the surrounding community. “This isn’t just about a building,” said one local lawmaker. “It’s about people’s lives and access to timely, quality care.”