Project to increase accessibility of main entrance and lobby; renovate cellar spaces; rehabilitate building roof and exterior; add skylights
Corona, NY — July 24, 2024. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced today the beginning of a $10.5 million renovation project at the Corona Health Center in Queens. The project, which is being managed by DDC for DOHMH, is scheduled to be completed in spring 2026.
“The people of Queens deserve to have public health services delivered in a dignified environment that is as welcoming physically as it is professionally,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Improving and updating our Corona Health Center will allow us to better to serve the community, whether they need testing, treatment, vaccination, or reproductive health services. Our Health Department clinicians are here to help with the highest quality services, delivered without judgement and regardless of immigration or insurance status.”
“The visitors and staff at the Corona Health Center deserve a renovated building that serves their needs,” said DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley. “Our project will make the building easier to access, will beautify the space for patients and staff and will restore the façade and roof, at which point the scaffolding around the building can come down. We look forward to completing our work on this lynchpin of the local system providing specialized healthcare to Queens residents.”
The facility, at 34-33 Junction Boulevard, provides sexual and reproductive health care for the local community. The project will renovate the main entrance and lobby of the 1939 building, making it more accessible for visitors and staff. The building’s 6,500-square-foot cellar, which contains public space as well as administrative space for staff, will be fully renovated and the façade will be restored and new windows and doors will be added. The roof will be repaired and new skylights will be added to enhance interior natural lighting.
Corona Sexual Health Clinic services include Sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, testing and treatment; birth control and emergency contraception and HPV, hep A, hep B and meningitis vaccinations. The clinic will remain open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Also on site is NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Jackson Heights, an outpatient clinic offering primary care for children and adults.
“All New Yorkers deserve to receive high-quality health care in first-class facilities that put patient needs first,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “This renovation of the Corona Health Center will ensure that residents of Corona and surrounding areas who seek sexual and reproductive health care will have a top-quality facility in their neighborhood that they can rely on for decades to come. I commend DOHMH and DDC for working together on this project that is vitally important for the future health care of so many Queens residents.”
“This historic building but also enhance the experience for both patients and staff, ensuring that this facility can continue to provide top-notch services to our residents," said Council Member Francisco Moya. "This project demonstrates our commitment to the health and well-being of Queens families, and I'm excited to see the positive impact it will have on our district.
“Healthcare is a human right, but only when services are easily accessible,” said Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Health Committee. “The Corona Health Center will provide added healthcare options in Queens and ensure New Yorkers have access to the quality healthcare they deserve, in a state-of-the-art setting."
"I am thrilled to celebrate the groundbreaking of the renovation of Corona Health Center, a vital health facility that provides sexual and reproductive health services to the residents of my diverse district,” said Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas (District 34). “This $10.5 million dollar investment to ensure the facility is ADA-compliant will welcome patients of all backgrounds without barriers to access. The façade and roof repairs, along with the addition of skylights, will beautify this historic building for the deserving staff and patients of my community. As a member of the Health Committee of the New York State Assembly, I commend the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Department of Design and Construction for making this critical investment in the health and well-being of my neighborhood."
“We are thrilled to see the beginning of this significant renovation project at Corona Health Center,” said Michelle Lewis, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health. “Gotham Health, Jackson Heights is located in this Health Center, and will greatly benefit from this project. It will allow us to continue providing high-quality healthcare services to the Queens community regardless of ability to pay or immigration status.”
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About the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene works to protect and promote the health of 8 million New Yorkers. With more than 200 years of leadership in public health, the agency’s work ranges from inspection grades of dining establishments to supporting low-to no-cost community health clinics. The Department is also behind the scenes with disease detectives, investigating suspicious clusters of illness as well as studying the patterns, causes and effects of health and disease conditions in New York City neighborhoods, which shape policy decisions and the City's health agenda.
About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor Adams’ long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $33 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.