By Serena Solomon
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HELL'S KITCHEN — A dilapidated abandoned hospital here just stinks, residents say. And not just because of the foul smell.
The 52nd Street and Ninth Avenue site, which once housed St. Vincent's Midtown, is now surrounded by scaffolding, damp blankets, broken glass and garbage. People are seen crossing the street to avoid walking past the building, and it's caused neighborhood complaints for its smell, appearance and vermin.
"Since Labor Day we have had over two dozen complaints," said Jenna Chrisphonte, assistant district manager of Community Board 4.
"Mice are spreading through other parts of the neighborhood and residents are blaming that site because properties that never had rodents now have them."
And, then, there are the naked squatters, who residents complain are regularly seen bathing on the sidewalk.
"We had people that were bathing, changing their clothes," said Ene Idalugo, who works across the street at Barrett Funeral Home. "They would strip naked without having any concept that there are other people in the vicinity. That's not fair to all the people around."
The vacant building is also close to P.S. 111, on 52nd Street.
"People were concerned about the school, with transients so close," Chrisphonte said.
The rundown building was founded in 1934 as St. Clare's Hospital, which later became St. Vincent's Midtown.
In August 2007, the hospital closed, millions in debt, according to Crain's New York. It was then sold to Tessler Development in December 2007 for about $84 million. The plan was to turn the old hospital into apartments or dorms but nothing, however, has changed since, except for scaffolding, broken windows and a pungent stench.
Miriam Berkley, who has lived in Hell's Kitchen for 27 years, was concerned about the impact the derelict building might have on local businesses.
"Stores been shut all over the neighborhood," Berkley said. "There are rows of empty store fronts and none of this is good for the neighborhood."
Calls to the developer were not returned.
