Mayor Adams Announces Progress on $30 Million Far Rockaway Gotham Health Community Health Center
State-of-the-Art Gotham Health Community Health Center Advances Mayor Adams’ Efforts Alongside Local Elected Officials to Strengthen Health Care Access and Equity on Rockaway Peninsula New Center Will Provide Primary and Specialty Care, Women’s Health, Vision, Behavioral Health, Dental, Podiatry, and Imaging Services
Feb 25, 2025
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Mitchell Katz, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards today announced that construction is now underway on a new 22,000-square-foot Gotham Health community health center that will provide comprehensive health care services to residents of Far Rockaway, Queens. The state-of-the-art community health center will expand community members’ access to primary care, specialty care, women’s health, dental, vision, podiatry, radiology, and mental health services. The Adams administration has contributed $30 million to cover the cost of retrofitting the space and providing advanced medical equipment.
“As I said in my State of the City address last month, our goal is to make New York City the best place on the globe to raise a family, and keeping families healthy is essential to keeping families in the five boroughs,” said Mayor Adams. “For too long, lack of access to services has been a barrier to health care and opportunity for underserved communities here in Southeast Queens. With this facility, we are bridging the health care gap and investing $30 million to provide vital medical equipment for everyday New Yorkers.”
“New York City’s public hospital system provides care to New Yorkers without exception, including where they live,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Dr. Katz. “The opening of the Gotham Health Community Health Center in Far Rockaway will make critical primary and specialty care services readily available to residents of the peninsula, who for too long have needed to travel elsewhere to access the care they need. We are thankful to Mayor Adams and Queens Borough President Richards whose advocacy and investment made the construction of this clinic a reality.”
“The construction of the Gotham Health center in Far Rockaway will bring critical health care services to a historically underserved community,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Kimball. “NYCEDC is thrilled to have helped facilitate funding for this health center as a continued commitment to our Downtown Far Rockaway Roadmap for Action. We look forward to working together with NYC Health + Hospitals and Queens Borough President Richards to support the Far Rockaway community.”
“This new clinic expands access to high quality, affordable health care for the Far Rockaway community,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health CEO Michelle Lewis. “With both primary and specialty care services, we are ensuring that patients are able to receive comprehensive, coordinated care. This clinic reflects our commitment to health equity and our mission to provide exceptional care for all New Yorkers.”
“It’s been a decade since I convened the Downtown Far Rockaway Working Group to lead the groundbreaking $288 million rezoning of this incredible community, and the dividends this initiative continues to pay in this community are astounding. I couldn’t be prouder to have worked tirelessly alongside so many government and community partners to deliver this critical investment in the health of Far Rockaway families, as we bring the days of deliberate disinvestment in this neighborhood to an end,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “For far too long, families on the peninsula have experienced higher rates of numerous diseases, but the high-quality, comprehensive preventative care offered at this $30 million new NYC Health + Hospitals facility represents a massive step forward in making Far Rockaway a healthier and stronger community. The residents this clinic will serve deserve nothing less than the best.”
The new community health center — located at 1720 Village Lane in Far Rockaway — is expected to open in 2027, and is strategically designed to bridge health care gaps in Far Rockaway, where community members have historically had limited access to care. Borough President Richards played a crucial role advocating for the center and ensuring it will provide comprehensive health services and promote health equity for the Far Rockaway community.
The facility will offer a full spectrum of primary care services, including:
- Preventive and general medical care to support the overall well-being of individuals and their families.
- Pediatric health care to promote the growth and development of children from infancy through adolescence.
- Women’s health and maternity services to provide comprehensive gynecological, reproductive, prenatal, and postpartum care.
- Mental and behavioral health support to address community members’ emotional, psychological, and psychiatric needs.
- Chronic disease management for conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
- Comprehensive podiatry care, including treatment for diabetic foot conditions and other foot health concerns.
- Vision screenings and eye care for diagnosing and managing common vision issues.
- Complete dental care, including routine exams, professional cleanings, and oral health treatments.
- Advanced diagnostic imaging, featuring CT Scans, DEXA|Bone Density Scan, ultrasounds, and 3D mammography to provide precise medical evaluations.
The Adams administration has prioritized helping New Yorkers live longer, healthier lives with its HealthyNYC initiative, which aims to extend the average life expectancy of New Yorkers to 83 years by 2030. Increasing access to quality, preventative health care can help screen for cancers and manage chronic diseases.
This new community health center fulfills a core commitment of NYCEDC’s “Downtown Far Rockaway Roadmap for Action” and Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, and Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery.”
“I applaud the start of construction for the new Gotham Health Community Health Center in Far Rockaway,” said U.S. Representative Gregory W. Meeks. “Every New Yorker deserves to have access to quality healthcare services, and this $30 million-dollar investment will significantly increase access to healthcare in the Rockaways and contribute to keeping our communities safe and healthy. I remain committed to advancing this effort through my work in Congress by supporting legislation that will protect and strengthen our healthcare services to deliver live-saving care to my constituents and visitors.”
“Far Rockaway has long been in need of expanded healthcare services, and the construction of this new Gotham Health facility is a significant victory for our residents,” said New York State Senator James Sanders Jr. “This investment means better access to primary and specialty care, ensuring that our families, seniors, and children can receive the medical attention they deserve right in their own neighborhood. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this center will have on our community’s well-being.”
“The groundbreaking of the Gotham Community Health Center in Far Rockaway marks an important moment for our community,” said New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “With significant new development in Rockaway, we must ensure that essential services keep pace with the growing demand. This investment will bring preventative services—including primary care, women’s health, dental, vision, and mental health—directly to our neighborhood. While this center will provide much-needed preventative care, we remain steadfast in our push for a Level 1 or Level 2 trauma center on the Rockaway Peninsula. I thank the administration and Dr. Katz for their leadership in expanding healthcare access, and I look forward to continuing to work together to build a healthier future for Rockaway.”
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health is a Federally Qualified Healthcare Provider formed in 2012 to enable individuals and families to address their health care needs in their own neighborhoods. Serving more than 100,000 New Yorkers annually in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Queens, Gotham Health consists of 38 healthcare sites in all five boroughs of New York City. Gotham Health provides easy-to-access, high-quality, affordable health care services with a focus on primary care. It is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and building healthy communities, with a focus upon providing patients and families convenient access to high-quality preventive care, such as annual check-ups and immunizations. Health care teams are trained to help patients manage ongoing conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity, build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city’s future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
