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Photo of HSS Main Hospital and the River Building from across the East River.
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Main Campus Transformation

HSS is the world's leading academic medical center dedicated to musculoskeletal health. We are ranked No. 1 in orthopedics worldwide by Newsweek, and No. 1 in orthopedics in the United States for 14 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report (2023-2024).

Last year, more than 200,000 patients traveled from around the country and across the globe to seek HSS expertise. To continue to meet growing demand for our unmatched care, HSS is investing in new facilities, enhancing our Upper East Side campus, and beautifying the neighborhood. At the heart of this plan is construction of the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Tower (rendering above). Rising 12 stories over the FDR Drive, this new, 94,000-square-foot clinical building will adjoin our current Main Hospital facility. The tower is made possible with more than $184 million in early philanthropic support from HSS donors, including a lead gift from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation.

Construction is underway.
 

detailed image of esplanade improvement and planned hss kellen tower location
Aerial view of the planned expansion.

 
Photo of Brian Kelly, President and CEO
“
Demand within the community for convenient, world-class musculoskeletal care has never been higher. This transformation will enhance access to our unmatched care for decades to come.
”

Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA
President and CEO

 

The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Tower

The HSS Kellen Tower will expand care for joint replacement and spine conditions with three private inpatient floors, physician offices and exam rooms, and on-site imaging to support our high-quality musculoskeletal care. The added capacity created by these new inpatient units and renovation of recovery floors in the main hospital will allow HSS to convert from 30 to 70 percent private patient rooms across the main campus, an institutional priority underscored by the pandemic and necessary to optimizing the healing environment for our patients.

East River Esplanade Renovation

Included in the plan for the HSS Kellen Tower construction and as part of our commitment to the community, HSS is making critically needed improvements to the East River Esplanade from 72nd to 78th Streets. This work will reflect the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation’s master plan for the Esplanade, and builds on our previous investment of $1.8 million to renovate the Esplanade from 70th to 72nd Streets in 2018.

photo of esplanade walkway along FDR
HSS worked in collaboration with the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Council Member Ben Kallos, and other community leaders to renovate the East River Esplanade from 70th to 72nd Streets in 2018.

About HSS

Founded during the Civil War to care for underserved children and wounded soldiers, HSS is nationally ranked No. 1 for orthopedics for 14 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report (2023-2024). We have also been named a leader in pediatric orthopedics by the U.S. News “Best Children’s Hospitals” list. HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics by Newsweek (2022-2023). HSS maintains 20 research laboratories focused on advancing musculoskeletal health. Our orthopedic residency program is top ranked in the nation in both reputation (No. 1) and research output (No. 2) by the professional healthcare network Doximity. HSS is proud to serve people locally, nationally, and from around the globe.

HSS orthopedic surgeons Dr. Ernest Sink and Dr. Bryan Kelly discuss imaging results
(From right) Bryan Kelly, MD, President and CEO,
with Ernest Sink, MD, Chief of the Hip Preservation Service.
 

About the Transformative Gift from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation

The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation provided a transformational $35 million gift to enable construction and name this state-of-the-art medical facility. The gift builds on the Foundation’s long history of support for HSS and honors the legacy of Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen. “We were inspired by all the lives that will be changed in this new building,” said Marina Kellen French, Vice President of the Foundation and an HSS Trustee. “It is not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about helping people and New York City.”

 

Project Q&A

What will be housed in the HSS Kellen Tower?
The HSS Kellen Tower will expand care for joint replacement and spine conditions and include three inpatient units with private rooms, a dedicated imaging center, and physician offices and exam rooms.

When will HSS Kellen Tower open?
Construction is currently underway and can be seen from the FDR Drive. HSS Kellen Tower is on track to open in 2025.

How will the HSS Kellen Tower impact the current HSS campus?
The HSS Kellen Tower will facilitate the conversion to mostly private rooms across the HSS main campus. It will also enable an increase in the number of operating rooms in the Main Hospital. The HSS Kellen Tower will be accessible to the public via sky bridge from the Main Hospital as well as from the adjacent Ambulatory Pavilion on several floors.

What is the timeline for the East River Esplanade renovation?
Work on the East River Esplanade is phased in coordination with the appropriate city agencies as well as the overall timeline of the project construction. Construction activity has necessitated the demolition and removal of the East 71st Street pedestrian ramp to the Esplanade, and a temporary ramp was installed in summer 2022 to provide southbound access. Portions of the Esplanade will also be closed between 72nd and 78th Streets once the base of the tower is complete and Esplanade refurbishment begins. A new ramp will be installed at the completion of the project.

What do I need to know about FDR closures?
Brief closures of the FDR Drive are taking place, in compliance with Department of Transportation guidelines. Closures are timed to minimize disruption, and the community is notified in advance.

 

Contact Us

Tracy Hickenbottom
Assistant Vice President, Public & Media Relations
mediarelations@hss.edu
212.606.1197

Noelle Carnevale
Associate Director, Public & Media Relations
mediarelations@hss.edu
212.606.1197

Otis Gamboa
Senior Manager, Public & Media Relations
socialmediacontact@hss.edu
212.606.1197

Rachael Rennich
Senior Manager, Public & Media Relations
mediarelations@hss.edu
212.606.1197

Holly Menzie
Vice President, Development
development@hss.edu
212.606.1196