A step to accomplish what has seemed like “the impossible” – the creation of a new hospital in Greenwich Village – occurred at the Community Board 2 (CB2) meeting on July 22nd when the Board passed a resolution to oppose “all changes in land use laws, zoning rules, landmarks laws, or any other laws that would eliminate hospital uses at the site of the former St. Vincent’s.” Since the Bankruptcy Court has the authority to dispose of the property that was St. Vincent’s, the CB2 also resolved to petition that court and to create a community committee to explore with it openly the options considered for the St. Vincent’s property.

The CB2 sent its resolution to 19 elected officials, including Mayor Bloomberg and U.S. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and urged all to join in the battle to bring back to West Village residents their lost hospital, emergency room, and Level I trauma center. “In many ways, this resolution is a reaffirmation of a position that we have held for the last three years, which is that we have always supported a hospital in that (St. Vincent’s site) location,” explains Jo Hamilton, chair of Manhattan’s Community Board 2.

The crowd has shown up, they’ve taken their seats. The lights go down, the movie begins. Not so unusual a scenario in this town. Well, in this case, when the lights go down, it’s the sun I’m referring to, the seats are beach chairs and blankets, and the venue is Pier 54.

And the price of admission? Not a penny.