Broadlands Hospital

Excellent post Cliff.

From the beginning the anti-hospital group has used exaggeration, fabrication and fear tactics to drum up suport for their position.

We need another hospital here in Eastern Loudoun. Simply just to provide the services that LHC does not.

Most of this anti- hospital talk is completely hypocritical, both from LHC as well as Loudoun residents.

A couuple of examples:

Just two years ago the CEO of LHC (Rodney Heubbers) said in reference to problems in exapnding LHC "The formula makes no allowance for extraordinary population growth or the fact that a Loudoun resident may have to drive to Prince William to find an empty bed. We don’t think that is an acceptable solution.” Yet that is exactly what he is forcing residents into within the next year or two.

and Woodrow Turner, VP and general counsel of LHC said in february of 2001 "The plan takes a strict approach in saying that Loudoun residents should make use of empty beds available in Arlington, Prince William and elsewhere, ... (and)the approach is unreasonable and impractical. " Again now they want us to do just that.

What is happening here is that there are a few residents who don't want anything built near their houses and probably thought since the commercial real estate market is so bad, that if they can defeat the hospital plans, they nothing will be built for several years if ever. All thios talk of feeling bad for western loudoun, or being concerned about the finacial dealings of HCA, or being concerned that LHC will go out of business is smokescreen in my opinion. They are willing to do anything to stop the hospital.

If you support the hospital please get your neighbors, friends, whoever you can fine to write, call, and email our representatives and the Virginia Department of Health. If you don't get involved then the very vocal minority will prevent the hospital from being built.

 

Cliff, I am not going to get into a disagreement with you over whether or not HCA should be in our nieghborhood or not. I have read the proffers etc, and as you mentioned that is why a special exception is needed because it is not zoned for that type of property. It is one thing to CHOOSE to buy a home near an already existing hospital versus buying a home and having a hospital move in afterward. I have been calling on hosptials and laboratories for over 15 years and DO NOT want them as my neighbor, nor do a tremendous amount of the neighbors you "represent" as an HOA board member. We've all lived near strip malls or at least close to them and we know what to expect and when...What if (God forbid) HCA gets approval to build here and in a years time (or less) you realize they are a noisy, traffic filled and unfriendly neighbor...what then?

 

The last post proves mt point. They just don't want to live near a hospital.

 

Exactly. It seems that all of the anti-hospital concerns about HCA and the hospital services were completely insincere ... they simply don't want a hospital. Donna, have you ever lived near a suburban hospital? It's not like living next to D.C. General or even George Washington hospital (which I lived one block from while in law school downtown). Urban hospitals are noisy, but so are the cities in which they are located. That's not what we're getting.

Before coming to Ashburn, I lived in a quiet north Arlington neighborhood with Arlington Hospital (now VA Hospital Center) at its very center. Despite what others say, the fact is that emergency vehicles turn sirens OFF when going into and through a residential neighborhood (this might even be state law), and the other traffic is comparable to a shopping center or office park.

Is there an organized group for people supporting</u> the hospital? If not, I think we need to organize and make sure our voices are heard over the noisy minority.

 

OMG, I can't believe we are going over this again...

We all know what the "hospital people" want and what the "anti-hospital people" don't want, so don't burst a blood vessel anyone.

However, I"ll tell you what I think then, "this hospital ain't gonna happen".

And then again, if by some cosmic accident it does get approved, I don't care! We will just pack up and move. Broadlands is not that special (just another trashy part of Ashburn), so maybe it deserves an HCA hospital if it wants it here. Those of us that do not want a hospital will just sell our homes and get the heck out of here. It is not a big deal.

Yes, I guess it all boils down to whether you want to live in a neighborhood that suddenly decides to approve a 6-7 story hospital
in it. That is not what I want in a "neighborhood."

 

Just "Another trashy part of Ashburn". If thar is your opinion then why are you still here? There are plenty of people who would love to live in Broadlands.

What exactly is the kind of "neighborhood" you want to live in?

 

I have setup a website www.forthehospital.org. It should be up by tomorrow. We can use this to organize the supporters of the hospital.

 

I encourage the "protect our neighborhood from the hospital" people to visit Arlington Hosptial (VA Hospital Center) on N. George Mason Drive and drive around the surrounding blocks, especially to the south and west of that facility. If you don't want to live in our neighborhood, then I guess you wouldn't want to live among those quiet, tree-lined streets where most single family homes have manicured lawns and often sell for at least $600,000 (usually higher).

Thanks for setting up that www.forthehospital.org site, vweisenburg, I'll be one the first to sign up!

 

You know, instead of driving through the neighborhoods that are surrounded by hospitals, (Fairfax, Fair Oaks, Reston, Mt. Vernon, Prince William,NVCH, Dominion, etc) why dont you get out of your car and talk to the neighbors who live there. I did and the many people I spoke to did have compliants about the noise, etc. We have different oppinions about what is in the best interest of our community, thats all, noone is right or wrong...so there is no need to get nasty. By the way, Noone has answered the question ...if you do realize a hospital is a bad thing, what then...you cant get rid of it. With a strip mall you can always get new and different stores and restaurants. Also dont forget this would be phase one of the HCA project, maybe if we're lucky we can have HCA expand every year or two to be the biggest and busiest trauma and ER center in Northern Virginia. Oh yeah, thats right, that is what HCA wants.

 

Hi again everyone-
A few more comments on other posts:

1) "I have been calling on hosptials and laboratories for over 15 years and DO NOT want them as my neighbor, nor do a tremendous amount of the neighbors you "represent" as an HOA board member."

As best as I have been able to determine as your "representative", through phone calls, emails, and personal conversations, the overwhelming majority of those who have expressed an opinion support this hospital. I believe that the vast majority of the community as a whole does not care, one way or another. Conversations I've had with the other HOA Board members indicate the responses they have received agree with mine.
Best as I can tell, you represent a small group of vocal opponents to this project. As a supporter of the hospital I was reelected to my Board seat (no, I don't claim this the only reason I was re-elected) against an individual who stated clearly that they were opposing this application. A supporter of this person had told me thet were going to campaign against me to ensure I was removed from the Board.

2) "You know, instead of driving through the neighborhoods that are surrounded by hospitals, (Fairfax, Fair Oaks, Reston, Mt. Vernon, Prince William,NVCH, Dominion, etc) why dont you get out of your car and talk to the neighbors who live there."
I have done EXACTLY that and we have current residents who lived near those facilities. Not ONE expressed a concern about having lived near these facilities. I have spoken to residents near Reston, Loudoun, Dominion, and Inova Fairfax.

3) "What if (God forbid) HCA gets approval to build here and in a years time (or less) you realize they are a noisy, traffic filled and unfriendly neighbor...what then?"
I don't understand the point of this comment. Does this mean that the residents should oppose any and all plans for development of this property on the basis that any commercial activity may be a noisy, bad neighbor? That is an unrealistic goal. I have been trying to determine which would be better...a hospital complex or a 1,000,000 square foot office complex. I believe we will be far better off with a hospital, based on the research I have done comparing the two.

4) "With a strip mall you can always get new and different stores and restaurants."
This property is not zoned for a strip mall.

5) "Yes, I guess it all boils down to whether you want to live in a neighborhood that suddenly decides to approve a 6-7 story hospital
in it."
Are you aware that this site is already zoned approved for up to 7
six to seven story office buildings? They could be built "By Rights" with no hearings or input from the residents. The impact of this type of development would be far more detrimental to the community.

6) vweisenburg: Thanks for setting up the website. Please give a call when you get a chance: 703-729-7320.

Cliff

 

Why would you want a strip mall instead of a hospital? There are strip malls on every corner. What new and exciting stores can they provide this neighborhood? A nail salon? Deli? How bout another Subway or Starbucks? Moot point since it's not zoned for a strip mall.

Having dealt with Loudoun Hospital within the past couple months just reiterated the feeling I'd had about them from past experiences. The average age of nurses (that we dealt with) must be 25. I know for a fact the powers that be laid off many of the senior (by senior, I mean experienced) nurses because of their payscale. So many cutbacks at this hospital have created overworked nurses with nowhere to turn for relief. So who, besides hospital workers, suffer most? Patients! The fact that when LHC built their new state-of-the-art hospital with LESS beds than the old building in the 2nd fastest growing county in the country speaks for itself. I welcome a new hospital. I also hope that any competition will force the LHC management to improve their entire structure and provide this county with the excellent care and facilities they claim already exist.

In response to traffic issues; ever tried getting into or out of the AOL campus at peak rush hour times? There's a big difference between 6000 people trying to go to the same place at the exact same time rather than 6000 people trying to go to the same place spread throughout the day and night.

If air noise is a problem, why'd you move next to an airport? I hear helicopters at least 2-3 times a week now with plane noise an hourly occurance. Why would an extra few helicopter flights bother me? This isn't going to be a trauma center or specialist center that will receive dozens of incoming helicopter patients a day.

That's my two-cents and I hope that everyone reads the actual FACTS provided by HCA and the county. Whether you are for or against, make sure all the information you are basing your decision on is factual!

 

As my posts said, I LIVED in such a neighborhood before coming to Broadlands... so I have some personal experience on this. (Maybe you should actually READ my posts more closely before telling me to get out of my car!) I still question whether you have any personal experience or are just over-hyping what some people don't like about neighborhood hospitals. People against something are always more vocal and organized that those in favor or neutral on a subject.

 

Hey buddy. What fear tactics did WE use to support our position against the hospital? And for that matter, what exaggeration and fabrication?
Who gives you the right to call me as well as the other opponents of the hospital hypocrites? We have every right to oppose this hospital as you do to support it.
BUT, DO NOT feel that you can post, like you did above, giving what you feel is 'real reasons' we don't want this hospital built. You don't know me and you don't know the rest of us. And we aren't a minority. I live directly across from the proposed site and I certainly don't want this hospital. I'm guessing you and HCACliff don't live within eyeshot of the site.

...Now I remember why I stopped reading this forum months ago.

 

You still haven't told me why you are opposed to the hospital other than you live across from it and don't want it. Other than that reason, what FACT based opposition do you have to the hospital?

I sympathize with the fact that you don't want to live across the street from the hospital, but explain to me why those who live across the street should get to decide for the rest of Broadlands, or eastern Loudoun for that matter, whether a hospital is built or not. Based on the conversations I have had with other Broadlands residents, as well as other residents of Loudoun County, the majority of the opposition is coming from those residents who live directly across the street. That makes you a minority in my book.

All I want is a fair and fact based debate. Please stop screaming about not wanting to live across the street from a hospital. Are you saying you would rather have a series of 6-story office buildings across the street instead?

 

You wouldn't consider the claims that we would have mental patients wandering the streets, speeding ambulances endangering our kids, piles of medical waste, etc.. as exaggerations? I certainly would.

 

The FACT is that you don't have to have FACTS backing you up to have an opinion. If they don't want it they don't want it. Noone said this forum was a debate based on FACTS anyway so lighten up. Do you work for HCA or something?

Also, if FACTS were so omnipresent then you'd think they have some sway in Politics but we all know this is false. Fortunately this decision is one of Politics and will be decided by the Powers That Be in Richmond who already denied it once! What makes you think that will change unless you bribe him?

I for one am neutral. But I'd like neither side to win. I'd like to see the property rezoned into smaller parcels. Something more akin to he "Nature" theme of Broadlands. I mean, Broadlands is supposed to be about "Nature" right? We all bought it into it and the website screams it. How does a Hospital fit into that picture?

 

I am delurking to let people in the forum know that I do NOT live across the street from where the HCA hospital is planned and I AM opposed to the hospital. I think you may find that most people in Broadlands do not give their opinions in the Forums here and neither you nor I can speak for all of the residents of Broadlands as to how they feel about the proposed hospital. I moved to Broadlands because of the "Feel good", environmental atmosphere that Broadlands said it provided. I understand that the proposed area is scheduled for 'office space'. However, when I decided to move to Broadlands, I thought that the planned 'office space' would be similar to the little shopping centers we see all over Ashburn, such as Ashburn Farm, Ashburn Village. In no way shape or form did I think it would be an exceedingly large office building, such that only a large company such as a hospital or a AOL-Worldcom type building would inhabit. I realize from reading this thread that the site was always allocated for this, however, all I saw when I bought my house was 'office space' on the little future development map. I did not see anything that said that that 'office space' area was "zoned for up to 7 six to seven story office buildings". I trusted Broadlands (& Terrabrook) in that they meant it when they offered a peaceful, environmentally friendly community and I took 'office space' to be what the other areas of 'office space' meant- a little shopping center such as the future Broadlands Village Center. I do not want to argue about my lack of research into what ‘office space’ could be, as I realize that I was obviously too trusting (& very busy), but if the site IS that big, and Broadlands truly was committed to all the members of the community, why not zone the site into some kind of recreational park/shopping area? Something similar to what Reston has with the ice skating rink in the winter. Or how about a movie theater? The one in Sterling is always crowded and we really could use another one. There is ALREADY a hospital just down the road and I really do not see a need for another one. I really feel for those individuals who bought a house across the street, not realizing something that big would go in there. Even though the hospital would not be visible from my house, I still do not think it is right for those who spent the time and money investing in a house only to have it ‘ruined’ by something unexpected being built there. It is easy to say-'if you don't like it, then move'- but it is a lot harder to do, especially when one may have had a lot vested in their property (whether emotional or financial). My opinion is that this whole proposed hospital seems to be only about money, NOT the residents of Ashburn, let alone Broadlands.

 

1. You are right, I haven't told you my reasons, nor do I feel a need to.
2. I don't need FACTS to oppose something. You want the hospital...is that based on some FACTS?
3. I have to agree with Farscape. When I bought my house here, I was told the land was zoned for a 3 story, low level office building. I made the decision that I could live with that in close proximity to my home. Then Terrabrook and HCA back door this hospital and wonder why everyone (opps, a verbal minority) are pissed off. Well guess what, we were lied too.
I could go on and on, but I have no need to waste time or words here.

Support what you want VW, but don't fault anyone else for opposing.

Lastly, Farscape is right again. It's all about money. Terrabrook couldn't unload that chunk of land in this current market to anyone looking to build the zoned type of offices. And they have HCA drooling over it, it makes perfect sense for them. Doesn't make sense for me.

 

I don't begrudge anyone their opinion on the hospital. I have some good friends in here who are opposed, that is their right. My issue has been the disingenuous nature of the positions of some of those who oppose the hospital. If your only reason is you don't want it across the street then just say so, but there have been very few here who were willing to take that stand. For the past year we have heard that the hospital will: unleash an army of mental patients to terrorize our neighborhood, create streets of speeding ambulances to run over our children, bring in helicopters that might crash into our houses, drive down property values, become a toxic waste site, HCA will steal all of our money, etc... None of which is either accurate or true.

Can we please stop wishing that some magical moment will occur and the property will be down zoned and turned into a park? That is unbelievably unrealistic. This property is and always has been zoned for by right development of several 6 story office buildings, not a strip mall, not a nature preserve, not an amusement park. That is the reality we have to deal with. I have lived here for 7 1/2 years and I knew from the first moment we moved here what the possibilities were for that parcel. If you were lied to by the builder (and you probably were), I am truly sorry, but we have to deal with what we have and since Eastern Loudoun is in desperate need of a new hospital it makes more sense to put it here.

By the way, I do not work for HCA or am in any way affiliated with HCA. All I am is a father who has sat in the emergency room at LHC for 7 hours on a weekend because there were far too many patients. I am a father who is tired of having to take myself, wife and child to Fairfax or Fair Oaks because LHC has neither the equipment nor expertise to deal with moderate to critical healthcare issues. What I want is a state of the art hospital in eastern Loudoun and this is our best chance to get just that.

 

Then what is needed is LHC to improve itself or add another hospital to Lo. Co. What is not needed is a hospital dropped inside of our neighborhood.
I don't wish the property to be zoned a park. I know it won't happen, know it was never intended for that. That's not really the issue.
'bout all i have to say for now.