How interesting that as we approach another Memorial Day, the outstanding archives of The Croton Historical Society for May 1950 contain a series of articles on the opening of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Montrose) V.A. Hospital.
As many of you know, this hospital is slated for closure. October 2013 brought the news that five 'unused' buildings or 25% of the buildings at the site are scheduled to be demolished. The Town of Cortlandt and local veterans groups have applied to make the Montrose site a state and federal landmark.
Veterans would be forced to travel as far as the Bronx or Castle Point for their care, while the site, with its river views, would be sold off to developers for lord knows what. (Assorted plans have included low income/"afforable" housing to serve "regional needs", condos for the wealthy, etc.) To date, however, there have been no takers.
We don't think much of closing this badly needed hospital and dismantling it piece by piece--or the fools in Washington who came up with this idea in the first place and the jackasses who have supported it since...because care for our veterans is as necessary now as it was when the hospital first opened.
As always, we'll keep you posted on the latest developments and efforts to keep the site open. In the meantime, click on the photos below.
2019 UPDATE: THIS PLAN SEEMS ALL BUT ABANDONED AT PRESENT; in fact a new swimming pool for veterans use was opened in 2018 (more here). Thanks to assorted veterans committees and grassroots activists who said no to massive housing and yes to our veterans--and Supervisor Puglisi's efforts as well--the hospital remains open. Let's hope it stays that way.
You really have to wonder what those morons in Washington are thinking.
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