A swanky, state-of-the-art rehab facility will open in Dumbo on Tuesday, offering five-star perks including aromatherapy, a rooftop gym, and views of the Manhattan skyline to its patients. But the Phoenix Life Center’s services, which go for thousands of dollars a week, are for all who struggle with addiction, not just the elite, according to employees.
“We are not marketing to an exclusive audience, we want to be open to the community at all levels,” said Dr. Kamala Green Genece, the center’s program director.
The building it occupies, on Jay Street between Plymouth and Water streets, was donated to Phoenix House — which runs several treatment centers across Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island — in the ’70s. It was a warehouse before being converted into a residential center for men, which it remained until September 2016, when honchos began a $9-million renovation.
The new campus — dubbed Riverwalk because of its proximity to the East River — accepts men and women, and will boast additional amenities including an in-house chef from the Culinary Institute of America and e-readers loaded with patients’ treatment plans and other materials.
The Phoenix brand made headlines in 2015, when New York state banned new admissions at its facilities after discovering a history of illegal drug use, bad care, poor record-keeping, and lax discharge policies, Reuters reported. But a rep said the company made some big changes that included hiring new executives after that information came out, and locals shouldn’t worry about the center disrupting the community.
“We’ve completely changed leadership since then, the article prompted a big change,” said spokeswoman Ashley Womble.
Genece added there will be heavy security measures such as surveillance systems, key card access, and guards to keep Dumbo residents and the center’s clients safe.
“There are regulations and rules to keep the Dumbo community safe,” she said. “We take that very seriously.”
Patients will be admitted following an assessment of their conditions and will recuperate for around two weeks, depending on how much care they require, the doctor said.
A stay in the facility costs $18,500 per month. Phoenix does not accept Medicaid, but takes most major insurance plans. The company also welcomes donations so it can provide patients with financial aid.
And Genece hopes the center will show that it’s possible to offer high-end, top-notch care for everyone battling addiction.
“We are moving towards spreading the word that addiction treatment is like any other healthcare treatment, and it should be accessible to the community,” she said.
