by Kathleen Cunningham
Over a quarter of a century ago, the Village Preservation Society of East Hampton surveyed its membership on quality-of-life issues here in the Village. Surprisingly, availability and quality of medical care in East Hampton turned out to be the greatest quality of life concern for VPSEH members. Even more concerning than parking. This led to a remarkable meeting at the home of the late Donald and Polly Bruckmann, where the VPSEH Board determined to solve this problem. At that time, VPSEH Trustees Dr. Jerome DeCosse, Jack Kennedy, Larry Munson, and Henry L. Murray among others, banded together to spearhead the movement to create the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation, which would go on to establish the East Hampton Healthcare Center. For more, please see this link: easthamptonhealthcare.org/our-story.
And, now, with the support of many generous community members, Southampton-Stony Brook Hospital has developed an Emergency Department (ED), on property the Town of East Hampton made available to house the new facility, complete with 24-hour, year-round services, laboratory, MRI capabilities among other important patient services. The new ED is on adjoining land, right behind the Healthcare Center, completing a circle of critical healthcare begun by VPSEH all these years ago around the Bruckmann’s dining table on Lily Pond Ln. This will offer critical emergency care services previously only available in Southampton Village at the hospital emergency room.
The Emergency Department is expected to open late this spring. A ribbon cutting ceremony, thanking donors whose financial support made it possible, took place on April 5th. The building is handsomely designed and endured a painstaking licensing process through the County Health Department, including more readily accessed approvals from the Town’s local agencies. The building’s exterior is beautifully fashioned with natural colored paneling, well-placed fenestration and roof top solar panels helping to power the facility. The interior is said to be equally elegant.
As with the EHHF and Healthcare Center, many local donors made this achievement possible through their extraordinary generosity. We thank all who participated in making this facility possible with their donations of time and treasure. Life here in East Hampton will be much safer for all.