This January 2014, Pacific College of Oriental Medicine New York opened the doors to its new campus location in Lower Manhattan. The PCOM New York campus moved from its long-held Flatiron District location in December 2013, just in time to ring in 2014 from its new home on 110 William Street, New York NY 10038.
Enhanced Facilities and Opportunities at New Campus
The campus move will provide new opportunities for students and patients alike. Campus Director Malcolm Youngren says, “The space is larger than our previous campus. The new space is 42,000 square feet compared to 38,000 square feet. This move has enabled us to create a larger student lounge and increase the number of classes and treatment rooms.” Youngren says that this means the college can better serve students with more space and more resources.
The new space is not only bigger, but also more luxurious than before. It features an increased number of classrooms (16 compared to 13), a student lounge that is twice the size of the old one (and features a stunning view of East River and the Brooklyn Bridge), changing rooms for men and women, and group study rooms for students. The new space also includes an expanded faculty lounge (three times the size of the previous one), and meeting rooms for faculty to talk with students. The college was attentive to details large and small when designing the new campus, including the feel of the environment and the Feng Shui flow. A Feng Shui specialist was consulted during the construction, resulting in a harmonious flow of traffic throughout the rooms of the new campus, and better (more soothing and efficient) lighting throughout. The Student Council was also consulted during construction, providing input on the students’ wish list.
Clinic Enhancements in New Location
The move made many improvements possible for the PCOM clinic as well. “The clinic is brand new with 22 private treatment rooms on the ground floor and an additional 8 treatment rooms on the 19th floor, giving us a grand total of 30 treatment rooms (8 more than we previously had),” reports Amy Laiken, Director of Clinical Services. At the Flatiron location, the clinic shared a floor with the campus. In the new building, the clinic will be on the first floor and at its most accessible to patients, while the main campus is on the 19th floor. At its new first floor location, an estimated 10,000 regular visitors of the building will pass by the Pacific College Clinic on their way to work each day, increasing the awareness and accessibility of the clinic.
Strategic Location in Lower Manhattan
This is the first time PCOM NY has been able to create a clinic from scratch according to its needs, rather than move into an existing carved-out space. Students and staff have been eager to begin treatments in the new clinic that’s tailored specifically to PCOM. Laiken says, “The space is beautiful and self contained, away from the rest of the school so that we can concentrate on providing the best services in acupuncture and massage to the public.”
The new campus location is conveniently situated near Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge, Staten Island Ferry, City Hall, WTC/Ground Zero, Battery Park, Chinatown, and Soho. While it’s only about two miles away from the previous location, the new campus has a whole new energy and boasts an exciting neighborhood, gorgeous views, and accessible nearby transit for students and patients alike.
‘Lower Manhattan’ refers to the southern part of the island of Manhattan. New York City residents call the area south of Chambers Street and the Brooklyn Bridge “downtown,” which includes City Hall, various federal and local government buildings, and the neighborhoods of Battery Park City to the west, Financial District in the middle, and the South Street Seaport to the east.
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Community Engagement and Outreach Opportunities
So what’s exciting about this new neighborhood for PCOM? Youngren explains, “There is a huge variety of places to dine, including fast food, healthy options, and cheap as well as high-end dining. There are also many new places being built, which include new apartment buildings, condominiums, and shops.” Youngren says that this means there is a bigger population to come to the area, providing a new reach for the PCOM clinic, as well as varied entertainment and dining options for students. Before the move, a large number of PCOM clinic patients were surveyed and many said they planned to move downtown with the clinic. PCOM NY also looks forward to serving the Downtown population of government workers, financial services professionals, and residents, as well as the large Brooklyn population to whom the facility will now be much more accessible than previously.
Cynthia Neipris, Director of Outreach, Career/Alumni Services, and Community Education adds, “We think this area will be an attraction for students and patients. We’re now located in an area that is steeped in early colonial history with museums and some of the original cobblestone streets still in place, but it’s also an area of growth with the Century 21 flagship store and the shops at The South Street Seaport.” The new campus is walking distance to historic City Hall, Chinatown, and the beautiful Battery Park waterfront and the Staten Island ferry to the Statue of Liberty.
With a population that’s more than doubled in the past eight years, Lower Manhattan is one of New York’s fastest growing areas. In the past, the downtown area hasn’t been thought of as much more than the home of Wall Street and the Financial District, but thanks to a steady influx of newcomers, it’s transforming into a vibrant 24/7 neighborhood. Dozens of restaurants and retailers have set up shop in the area, and construction projects have brought revitalized parks and new transit options. The new campus is near easily accessible transportation, including the New Jersey path train, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, E N, R, J, and Z subway lines, and the Staten Island Ferry.
PCOM’s Role in the Community
In addition to the attractions of the new location, there are other benefits of PCOM’s presence in a new neighborhood. “We look forward to increasing outreach to the variety of populations serviced by our new neighborhood. As the area that was most heavily affected by the devastation of 9/11 and an area that was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy as well, the downtown area houses many organizations whose staff and clients could benefit from low cost acupuncture and massage,” says Neipris. PCOM NY will continue to expand services to survivors, supporters, and first responders from 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, the NY Department of Mental Health, and the Department of Children and Family Services. The college also plans to reach out to the many organizations in the area who support mental health and post trauma clients, seniors, and other under-served populations.
Join Pacific College in celebrating its new campus and clinic! Make an appointment to get a treatment and visit the new space. The PCOM New York clinic is fully integrative, offering its community an array of alternative therapy including acupuncture, massage therapy, cupping, and gua sha. Each patient receives a highly individualized treatment and has a wide array of treatment options from which to choose. Celebrate your health with Pacific College in its new location!
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