NYC Health + Hospitals Celebrates the 140-Year History of Gouverneur and Bridging Health Care Access to New Yorkers
Gouverneur was the first municipal hospital to establish a tuberculosis clinic and the first hospital to have a female physician and ambulance surgeon, Dr. Emily Barringer NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility is ranked #2 in New York State; (and #1 in New York City) by Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes 2026 NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur is one of the largest free-standing ambulatory clinics in New York State
Oct 23, 2025
New York, NY — On October 22, NYC Health + Hospitals celebrated the 140th anniversary of Gouverneur, the former hospital built in 1885 in lower Manhattan. Gouverneur was the first municipal hospital to establish a tuberculosis clinic and the first hospital to have a female physician and ambulance surgeon, Dr. Emily Barringer. Today, Gouverneur serves as a premier community health center and skilled nursing facility in the Lower East Side community, continuing a long-standing legacy of care for all New Yorkers — without exception.
Originally, Gouverneur Hospital was designed to serve as an emergency hospital and ambulance station for the congested waterfront district, and to address patient overcrowding at Bellevue Hospital, just a few miles north. Each day, 150 patients were treated in a facility staffed by one visiting physician and surgeon, one consulting surgeon, and a three-member house staff.
In 1901, Gouverneur opened a new facility to meet these demands, and by 1908 they expanded. The expansion consisted of two wings and chemical laboratories. Nursing and medical supervisors were appointed, and a nurses’ home was opened on Monroe Street.
After years of planning, labor issues and community uprising, the New Gouverneur Hospital opened in 1972: a $39 million health care facility which remains at its current location on Madison Street. Today, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility and NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur offer award-winning post-acute care and primary care services, respectively.
Gouverneur Ambulatory Care Service became part of the NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health network in 2015, offers a wide range of outpatient services, including Primary Care, Family Practice, Adult Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Behavioral Health, Dentistry, Podiatry, Optometry, and Radiology, regardless of ability to pay or migration status. In 2025, Gotham Health, Gouverneur earned top honors from the American Heart Association, receiving Gold Plus recognition for blood pressure management, as well as Gold awards for excellence in care for type 2 diabetes and cholesterol.
The Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility opened in 1976, serving primarily elderly Asian populations as its first residents. A year later, the Skilled Nursing Facility expanded to 196 beds which were immediately occupied by chronically ill geriatric patients. Today, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur is a 295-bed facility with a 5-Star CMS rating, and its long-term care and short-term rehabilitation services continue to be in high demand.
“As we celebrate 140 years of service in the Lower East Side, we honor the deep roots and rich history of this building—once a vital hospital, now home to Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility and a thriving outpatient clinic. This space has always been a place of healing and community, filled with art, stories, and resilience,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur CEO Susan Sales MPA, FACHE, LNHA. “We’re proud to continue that legacy by providing compassionate, high-quality care for our community. It’s a privilege to be part of such a historic journey and to help shape its future.”
“It’s truly inspiriting to see Gotham Health, Gouverneur reach 140 years of serving Lower East Side community with high-quality, affordable care,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health CEO Michelle Lewis. “As we celebrate this milestone, we honor the dedication of our staff who have provided outstanding care across generations.”
“Since its founding in 1885, Gouverneur has been a cornerstone of Lower Manhattan, providing essential healthcare for generations of New Yorkers regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Over the years, Gouverneur has demonstrated its continued commitment to providing compassionate and culturally competent services for all residents of our diverse neighborhoods on the Lower East Side and Chinatown, and its contributions to our community have been invaluable,” said Senator Brian Kavanagh.“I congratulate Gouverneur and all the healthcare professionals, workers, and community supporters on this milestone anniversary and I look forward to continuing to work with Gouverneur for many more years to come!”
“Gouverneur Hospital has been breaking barriers and providing compassionate care to New Yorkers for 140 years,” said Assemblymember Grace Lee. “Congratulations to the dedicated staff and leaders who make this possible. I look forward to continuing supporting Gouverneur’s continued mission for many years to come.”
“For 140 years, Gouverneur has embodied the best of New York City — care without barriers, compassion without limits, and a commitment to serve every neighbor who walks through its doors,” said Council Member Christopher Marte. “From pioneering the city’s first tuberculosis clinic to being ranked the #1 skilled nursing facility in New York City, Gouverneur has always led with equity and excellence. Lower Manhattan is proud to be home to this institution, which continues to reflect the values of our community: resilience, service, and dignity for all.”
“A pioneer in care, Gouverneur has been a cornerstone of healthcare in Lower Manhattan for 140 years. Gouverneur has helped bridge critical healthcare gaps through its work with historically underserved populations, and the staff’s dedication has made Lower Manhattan healthier,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “I look forward to a bright future for Gouverneur and the New Yorkers it cares for.”
“Since its earliest years, Gouverneur has been the pinnacle of strength and hope for our diverse communities, always offering the best care and resources to its neighbors,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Community Advisory Board Chairperson Pauline Lock. “Gouverneur holds a special place in my heart because my father was an eight-year resident and received the best possible long-term care. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on the community advisory board and continue my journey advocating for this incredible facility.”
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Media Contacts:
Rafael Dominguez, rafael.dominguez@nychhc.org, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility
Nash Dunlap, nash.dunlap@nychhc.org, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility
Conveniently located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and accessible by mass transportation from most parts of New York City, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur operates a 295-bed Nursing Facility, providing state-of-the-art care for short-term rehabilitation, long-term and hospice care. Gouverneur is an academic affiliate of NYU School of Medicine and Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, providing high-quality sub-acute rehabilitation medicine and skilled nursing services.Gouverneur has been meeting the healthcare needs of New Yorkers for more than a century. The facility received a 5-star CMS Overall Rating and 5-Star CMS Quality Rating; ranked #2 in Newsweek’s 2026 Best Nursing Homes in New York, and has earned high-performance rating in long-term care and short-term rehabilitation by U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Nursing Homes.
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health is a Federally Qualified Healthcare Provider formed in 2015 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 29 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 public 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 MetroPlusHealth health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 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.
