Washington Heights Street Co-Named Healthcare Heroes Way

Elected officials, community members, and CUIMC/NYP employees gathered for an outdoor ceremony today to celebrate the co-naming of 168th Street between Broadway and Fort Washington as Healthcare Heroes Way. The co-naming honors the tireless commitment and many sacrifices of healthcare workers of New York City.

Monday’s event was sponsored by Manhattan’s Community Board 12, which represents Washington Heights and Inwood, and New York City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez. Angela Mills, MD, the J.E. Beaumont Professor of Emergency Medicine at CUMC and chair of emergency medicine at VP&S, offered remarks at the ceremony. 

“The co-naming of Healthcare Heroes Way is an incredible honor recognizing our medical center and is deeply appreciated by our entire staff, especially following this most challenging year,” Mills said. “We are thankful to the members of our community who place their trust in us each and every day for their care and the care of their loved ones.”

"The naming of this street is a wonderful tribute to the thousands of health care providers, medical researchers, students, administrators, technicians, public health workers, facilities and security personnel, and many others in crucial support roles who have played such an important role in fighting this pandemic. We did this in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital," said Anil K. Rustgi, MD, Interim Executive Vice President and Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine. "We are truly humbled by the community's support throughout this historic crisis." 

The event also featured remarks from:

• Ydanis Rodriguez, New York City Council Member, District 10, Manhattan
• Adriano Espaillat, Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives, New York's 13th district
• Carmen De La Rosa, Assemblywoman, New York State Assembly, District 72
• Eleazar Bueno, Chairwoman, Community Board 12, Manhattan
• Daryl J. Cochrane, Member, Community Board 12, Manhattan
• Courtney Vose, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia/Allen/ACN-West

The movement to co-name the street began last year with a community-led effort spearheaded by Daryl Cochrane. Cochrane is in his third term on Community Board 12 serving Washington Heights and Inwood, where he has lived for more than 20 years. Cochrane also serves on the board’s Health & Environment Committee, where the conversation about the co-naming began.

"This effort has come a long way from viewing the hospital from my rooftop a half mile north of here, with pots and pans and whistles and cowbells, safely distanced with my neighbors cheering on health care workers," Cochrane said. "I hope co-naming this street Healthcare Heroes Way is the first of many recognitions for those who saved our city and our community from one of the worst crises of our lifetime. These real-life heroes continue to be professional and compassionate in the face of uncertainty." 

In recognition of the many health care workers who live in Washington Heights and Inwood, the resolution to co-name Healthcare Heroes Way acknowledges that “Northern Manhattan is home to many other residents who responded to the worst public health emergency of our time, including many who work in the health care professions at and beyond NYP & CUIMC, as well as numerous committed volunteers who from day one helped their more vulnerable neighbors meet their daily needs.”

The resolution dedicates Healthcare Heroes Way to “the thousands of dedicated medical and nursing professionals, EMTs, social workers, administrators, custodial and food service staff, volunteers, and others vital to the continuity of care during our city’s darkest hour.”