Silverman of North Shore-LIJ speaks at LIREG event

One of the top real estate executives at one of N.Y.'s largest healthcare providers said that it has moved away from using exclusive brokers and will present competitors with an opportunity to get in on the action later this year or early in 2016 Philip Silverman, senior VP-facilities and real estate at the Manhasset, Long Island-based North Shore-LIJ Health System, told members of the Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG) that the nation's 14th largest health system with 64,000 beds spread among 19 hospitals throughout metro N.Y., plans to issue a request for proposals for brokers by the end of this year or early in 2016. Silverman, who spoke before 125 real estate professionals at the Old Westbury Golf and Country Club, said the RFP would allow North Shore-LIJ "to identify brokerage firms to handle our business." The healthcare real estate executive said North Shore, which already operates from 400 locations totaling 4 million s/f, "has big ambitions" and plans to open surgical and urgent care centers via joint ventures. It now operates facilities throughout Long Island, in New York City, except the Bronx and in Westchester. "If you are not already doing business with us, you should be," Silverman said. He said North Shore, an A-credit business, prefers to the first operator in a site in order to control development. "We are very big on site control," he noted. Silverman said the health system via a JV with California-based Go Health Urgent Care, already operates nine immediate care centers and plans to open up 20 in what he said was its first tranche. He said North Shore expects to have as many as 60 urgent care facilities within five years. He also said North Shore anticipates opening more facilities similar to the Lenox Hill HealthPlex, a freestanding 24-hour emergency department and hospital without beds located in Greenwich Village. "That's where we see the future of medicine," he said. "It's the first in New York State... We see it being repeated over time." Silverman is responsible for physical planning, design and construction, and for real estate throughout the health system and currently manages almost 4 million square feet of property. The North Shore-LIJ Health System, the state's biggest private employer with almost 60,000 employees, is moving its headquarters early next year from Community Dr. in Great Neck to 2000 Marcus Ave. in Lake Success, an 112,000-square-foot building owned by Great Neck-based Lalezarian Properties. The building is being retrofitted for North Shore-LIJ. Late last year, the health system completed a complex deal in Manhasset that gives it control of 600 Community Drive, a 252,000-square-foot building. It also leased a 105,882-square-foot industrial building at 1001 South Oyster Bay Road in Bethpage, which serves as a warehousing and distribution center for its Central Sterile and Central Pharmacy divisions. About the Long Island Real Estate Group LIREG, formed in 2004 to encourage networking among Long Island real estate developers, owners and allied trades and to raise funds for charitable real estate-related projects on Long Island, has 300 members. Since its founding, LIREG has contributed almost $800,000 to numerous real estate-related projects undertaken by charities on Long Island. In addition to the four new charities, past LIREG contributions have gone to Angela's House, Camp Anchor, Children's Medical Fund of New York, Family Service League, Fitzgerald House, The Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Haven House/Bridges Inc., Hospice Care Network, Katz Women's Hospital, Let the Children Play Foundation, Long Island Alzheimer's Foundation, Long Beach Recreation Center, Long Island Holocaust Memorial, North Shore Holiday House, Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center, St. Francis Hospital and Sunrise Day Camp. For more information go to www.LIREG.org ###