Northwell Health's plan to expand Lenox Hill Hospital, which faced stiff opposition from some Upper East Side residents, was approved by the New York City Council Thursday. 

The City Council unanimously approved the plan to expand Lenox Hill Hospital. A subcommittee previously green lit a scaled-back version of the proposal.

"After years of planning and collaboration, today's City Council vote to approve the revitalization of Lenox Hill Hospital represents a major milestone for New York City," a Northwell Health spokesperson said in a statement. "We also appreciate the input from the community. We look forward to building a modern hospital that will deliver exceptional care for generations of New Yorkers, while continuing to be a trusted partner to our neighbors." 

Residents opposing the project and part of the Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood said "This project is a monstrosity, completely out of scale with the neighborhood where the hospital resides." 

Councilmember Keith Powers has advocated for the project, saying the hospital - which has been operating since the 1800s - needed modernization. 

"That's a victory. That's a victory no just for the East Side of Manhattan, but for the whole city," Powers said. 

Northwell Health said it has been over 50 years since its last upgrade. The expansion includes more single bed patient rooms, a new ambulance bay, and a $20 million upgrade to subway infrastructure and accessibility. 

The Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood held a rally against the plan ahead of Thursday's vote at City Hall. 

"This is a pure vanity project for Northwell Health and it ruins the Upper East Side neighborhood, which does not need more hospital beds. We understand they need to renovate, we are all for that," Community Board 8's Valerie Mason said.  

"That's not the story we're seeing in the neighborhood south of my district, or all around the city. They are envious of all the health care we have. Can't take that for granted," Powers said. 

Those against the plan also cite quality of life issues stemming from the project, including environmental concerns. They say the construction is just physically too big and tall for the neighborhood, even after a revision of the plan lowered the height of the building from 436 feet to 370 feet. 

"The size and scale of this project does not fit where Northwell wants to put it," said Stacy Krusch of the Committee to Protect Our Lenox Hill Neighborhood. 

"Knowing the people that work there, we can guarantee a future for them, and knowing that people are going to have certainty that we have a modern hospital in the neighborhood," Powers said. 

"This project isn't about new buildings — it's about creating a world-class hospital that reflects the excellence, compassion and innovation that New Yorkers deserve," said Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health. "We are dedicated to keeping Lenox Hill Hospital one of the highest-quality hospitals in the country, and we are proud of our commitment to building a healthier future where our patients, our team members and our entire city can thrive."

Northwell Health said the timeline for the project is about nine years, six of which will be external construction. 

It now awaits approval from the state Department of Health, which could take more time.