Hoboken Hospital Air Conditioning Fails Amid Heatwave

HOBOKEN, NJ — After Hoboken University Medical Center's cooling system failed amid 88-degree temperatures this week, an outdoor "chiller system" was installed to help, a spokesperson said Wednesday.

Repairs are underway at the 163-year-old hospital, said spokesman Vijay Chaudhuri. The "temporary chiller system" has been installed near the hospital's southern entrance, along Third Street.

Chaudhuri said the air conditioning system was antiquated and will eventually be upgraded as part of millions of dollars in investment by the new owners, Hudson Regional Health.

"The temporary [chiller] system will remain operational while repairs to the primary cooling system are completed," he said Wednesday. "Hospital leadership ensured that patient care remained uninterrupted throughout the incident...The primary cooling system that malfunctioned represents much of the aging infrastructure at the hospital that was long-neglected by prior ownership."

Hudson Regional Health bought Hoboken's hospital — as well as Bayonne Medical Center and Christ Hospital in Jersey City — during bankrupcy proceedings last year. The company, based in Secaucus, has since shut down Christ Hospital.

Chaudhuri noted that these improvements are planned for the facility:

• Complete renovation of the lobby
• New and upgraded patient rooms
• Renovations to the Operating Rooms
• Addition of robotic technology throughout the hospital
• New and upgraded labor and delivery department
• New upgraded pediatrics wing
• Renovations to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• Outpatient multispecialty clinic encompassing primary care, OB, general surgery, orthopedics, and behavioral health

He said, "HRH will collaborate with elected officials and stakeholders to secure support for these improvements in the months ahead."

Chaudhuri did not immediately respond when asked for a timeline for repairs, or how old the air conditioning system is. This story will be updated when more details are received.