Officials of Long Island College Hospital voted in favor of closing the financially-strapped facility Friday morning.
The 155-year-old hospital is run by SUNY Downstate Medical Center, whose president said LICH has a projected $41 million deficit this fiscal year. He says the gap is expected to increase to $60 million next year.
Officials had recommended shutting down the inpatient facilities and then working with the community to find a long-range solution.
About 2,000 jobs are at stake, and hospital staffers gathered Thursday to denounce the proposed shutdown. At a hearing Thursday night, 150 people packed an auditorium yelling "Why close LICH?"
Officials say there are no plans to sell the property.
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