Reinventing the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility

by Dorothy E. Pumo

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An aging goliath of a Nassau County nursing home will be modernized. The surrounding open space will be used for new assisted living facilities, senior congregate housing, a new community center, and very likely a dialysis center and diagnostic treatment facility, and about four acres will go to neighboring Turtle Hook School. While this is good news for the elder residents of Nassau County, an advocate for "work force" or "next generation" housing still sees an unmet need.

Nassau County’s largest nursing care faculty, A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility sits on 63 acres of property in Uniondale. The status of the 46-year old facility has followed a roller coaster-like trajectory during the last several years. In the early 2000s, A. Holly Patterson was consistently losing money while averaging only a 69% occupancy rate. Nassau Health Care Corporation owns the facility and considered selling the property to reduce their debt. Bishop R. W. Harris, Senior Pastor of Grace Cathedral Church located across the street from A. Holly Patterson, had a vision for the property. He wrote to Thomas R. Suozzi, the Nassau County Executive, and suggested “that next generation or work force housing be put on the property.” Other Uniondale residents had quite another vision of the property fearing that increased traffic, low-income housing, and commercial development of the open space would alter their property values and quality of life. Finn Mauritzen, a 20-year Uniondale resident lives about a block away from A. Holly Patterson. In a phone interview, he recalled the feelings of the residents this way, "it is the only piece of open space in this area (view 1, view 2, view 3)." He said that he "didn't want to see it developed into more stores" because "if you develop the land, traffic would be worse."

Something needed to be done with the nursing facility. Larry Slatky, Sr. Vice President of A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility the facility said, “we want to remain viable. If we were to continue to stay in the current building we would soon not be able to serve the community well.” The New York Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, also known as the Berger Commission Report, recommended that A. Holly Patterson downsize from 889 beds to 300 beds. Meetings were hosted by community and religious leaders and Nassau Health Care Corporation administrators. Slatky said in a phone interview that “it became very plain from many community meetings that most of the neighborhood members wanted the facility on the current property…at a number of meetings at churches, libraries, and schools, community members could express their concerns.” He continued by saying, “To have so much land donated to this facility is very exciting and it (the new facility) will be beautiful!”
Bishop Harris finished by saying, "A. Holly Patterson is being reduced in size and assisted living is coming to the area, possibly senior housing, as well as a community center for the community, and senior housing, but my plans, my dreams, my vision, for work force or next generation housing, does not seem to be coming to pass. (View full Bishop R. W. Harris interview.)

Additional Interviews

Jim Merritt, a resident of Hempstead, is glad that A. Holly Patterson is being rebuilt. He believes that it is good to have a nursing care facility in the community so that patients can be closer to their families. View Jim Merritt interview.

Bishop R. W. Harris of Grace Cathedral Church in Uniondale worked extensively with Nassau Health Care Corporation CEO, Arthur Gianelli. Gianelli attended the community meetings that were held to discuss the future of the A. Holly Patterson property. View video of Harris describing Gianelli's demeanor at the community meetings.