By The Touro College and University System
MIDDLETOWN, NY – JULY 9, 2013: Lt. Governor Robert J. Duffy joined Touro College President Dr. Alan Kadish today to formally launch development of the new Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine (TouroCOM) campus located at the site of the former Horton Hospital complex in Middletown in Orange County.
“TouroCOM’s expansion to Middletown will bolster the region’s healthcare and educational systems, while helping drive economic growth in the area for years to come,” said Dr. Kadish, President and CEO of Touro College and University System. “The medical school will create new career pathways, better job opportunities and enhanced medical care for area residents, ultimately improving both the physical and economic health of the community.”
Last month, the school received all necessary approvals and accreditation for the new campus from the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. Construction activity is underway and is projected to be complete by early 2014.
“The new Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine will help create new jobs and support local businesses in the Middletown community, representing yet another successful demonstration of Governor Cuomo’s vision to drive economic growth by investing in higher education,” said Lieutenant Governor Robert J. Duffy. “This administration has worked tirelessly to build the state’s economy through providing New York students with a world-class education. I commend Touro for bringing the medical school to the Hudson Valley, and by doing so, demonstrating a continued investment in New York and our students.”
President Kadish (far left) and Lt. Governor Robert J. Duffy (far right) at the former Horton Hospital complex in Middletown, N.Y. where construction is underway on the new Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The inaugural class is expected to begin in August, 2014. When fully operational, the new campus will enroll more than 500 students and occupy 110,000 square feet of space in the complex.
Touro has entered into a long-term lease with the property’s owner, the Danza-Leser Group, and is investing $24 million to renovate the facility. The project, which was awarded $1 million from the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council (MHREDC), will create more than 500 direct jobs and is anticipated to create nearly 300 indirect jobs.
“This project epitomizes Governor Cuomo’s vision for the Regional Councils: a public-private collaboration that combines academia and economic development to create jobs, grow the economy and improve the quality of life in our communities,” said MHREDC Co-chairs Dennis Murray, President of Marist College and Leonard S. Schleifer, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. “The Mid-Hudson Regional Council is proud to support the TouroCOM expansion, and we look forward to seeing its completion and the first class of medical students coming to campus.
“A project of this nature only gets completed with the help of many people, but if you have the support of people like the Lieutenant Governor, Mayor Joseph DeStefano and the brilliant leadership of Touro College, it makes it easier to do,” said Tony Danza, a partner in the Danza-Leser Group. “The outcome will be a legacy for the county and the region for years to come.”
TouroCOM will offer a four-year degree program for osteopathic physicians at the new Middletown campus and is considering the inclusion of training physical and occupational therapists, nurses and pharmacists.
“This is an economic development boon for the City of Middletown and the region,” said Middletown Mayor Joseph DeStefano. “The Lieutenant Governor’s support of the project and Governor Cuomo’s foresight in funding it address two important needs: job creation and improving the health indicators for the Hudson Valley Region.”
In addition to the TouroCOM expansion, the Danza-Leser Group will develop 250 units of housing for students and faculty. The developer is also in discussions to include a 200-student school operated by Allied Health and an assisted living facility in the complex. The project is projected to generate $275 million in economic activity.
New York Lt. Gov. Robert J. Duffy, Developer Tony Danza and Dr. Ronald Israelski.
“The development of a medical school under Touro – together with residency training programs – will have a profound impact on our region,” said Dr. Ronald H. Israelski, Director of Medical Education at Orange Regional Medical Center, which will serve as the flagship hospital for the school. “These programs will improve dismal regional health indicators, promote great economic stimulus, and provide for educational opportunities not available in the Hudson Valley.
“What’s better,” Dr. Israelski asked, “than making our communities healthier, wealthier and wiser?”
The process of medical education has already begun in the Hudson Valley, according to Dr. Israelski. He said ten third-year osteopathic medical students from TouroCOM’s Manhattan campus had relocated to Middletown and begun participating in all core medical rotations at the medical center on July 1.
Touro College and University System is one of the largest healthcare educational systems in the nation and offers a wide array of degree programs in the medical and health sciences fields. In addition to colleges of osteopathic medicine in New York, the Touro system also includes colleges of osteopathic medicine in Nevada and California. Touro also has colleges of pharmacy in both New York and California, as well as graduate and undergraduate schools of health sciences in New York, Nevada and California. Together with New York Medical College in Westchester County, Touro College and University System educates approximately 5,300 health sciences students annually.
