Ochsner Children’s Hospital plan faces backlash at Jefferson town hall

JEFFERSON, La. ( WGNO ) — Ochsner is hopeful to break ground this year on its Gayle and Tom Benson Ochsner Children’s Hospital. This 300,000-plus square-foot facility is expected to be constructed at the corner of Jefferson Highway and Deckbar Avenue, next door to the main hospital.

“There’s just a palpable sense of excitement about what it will mean when this facility is complete and we’re able to care for more kids in an environment that’s designed exclusively for them,” Ochsner Health System Vice President of Community Affairs Emily Arata said.

At Wednesday’s town hall, many neighbors expressed concern for the current plan, mainly regarding drainage and flooding issues, as well as the future of several oak trees.

“We’re not opposed to a children’s hospital by Ochsner or by any other hospital association. We’re opposed to the continued expansion of Ochsner into the old Jefferson neighborhoods,” Old Jefferson Community Association Public Affairs Secretary Richard Spector said.

Arata responded by saying that her team understood the drainage concerns but believes the current plan is sufficient for the future.

“We will be able to retain over 400 thousand gallons of water on the site, which is the equivalent of about a foot of water across a football field, and that’s in drainage and retention improvement before and after the project that will be a benefit to the whole community,” Arata said.

Residents are also concerned about the trees, as Ochsner plans to remove six of 14 oaks onsite.

Spector said, “They give us opportunity to decrease the water runoff, so each one of these big trees that they sacrifice in the future is going to add to the drainage problems.

Arata says that those removed will be replaced.

“The six oak trees that we’re removing to make way for the children’s hospital will be replaced by six really substantial oak trees that are 12 inches in diameter and about 20 feet wide and 20 feet tall,” Arata said.

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