Reimagining the Aesthetic Surgery Experience

When we started talking about building a surgical space of our own, it was not over blueprints or business plans. It began with conversations about the small frustrations we had experienced for years: the wait times we could not control, recovery rooms that felt sterile and uncomfortable, and hospital schedules that left patients sitting for hours before a procedure. For surgeons, it often felt as if we had to choose between safety, privacy, and the overall experience.

At some point, we looked at each other and thought: What if we did not have to compromise at all?

The vision for Greenwich Street Surgical grew from that question. We wanted a space that combined the rigor of an academic hospital with the ease and warmth of a boutique hotel. A place where the patient experience was equal to the surgical outcome, and where surgeons could work at their best without logistical obstacles.

Finding the location in the Hudson Square neighborhood of Manhattan felt like the first major milestone. The quiet cobblestone streets, accessibility from across the city, and the privacy of the neighborhood naturally aligned with our vision.

The next challenge was building it. Every decision was deliberate. We worked with health care architects and hospital construction experts from Montefiore Health System to ensure the operating rooms met the highest accreditation standards, and with interior designers who could make a recovery room feel like an extension of someone’s own home.

We designed the spatial flow with both surgeons and patients in mind. Surgeons have their own entrance directly to the locker room and operating rooms, ensuring privacy and an efficient workflow. Patients have a separate, discreet entry and a calm path from check-in through preoperative care and recovery.

For patients, the small touches make a big difference: private preoperative bays, a waiting area where families can relax with Wi-Fi and refreshments, and concierge-style recovery options all contribute to an improved experience. Partnerships with nearby hotels and a private duplex apartment with overnight nursing are available for those seeking additional privacy and support during recovery.

From the beginning, we did not want to build something solely for ourselves. We wanted to create a platform for other aesthetic surgeons to practice in an environment that elevates their work. That is why we developed our membership model. It provides surgeons with flexible access to the space without the overhead of owning it, while allowing the space to feel like their own operating room.

We incorporated benefits for our most frequent members. Features such as priority scheduling and administrative support are more than perks; they are essential elements of a community where surgeons can collaborate and thrive.

Opening this type of facility involved a steep learning curve. There were months of navigating permits, codes, and compliance requirements. Countless hours were spent selecting the right partners—from anesthesiology and nursing to front desk staff. The biggest lesson was the value of surrounding ourselves with people who care as much about the details as we do.  

Protecting the individuality of each surgeon’s practice was another essential learning curve. Even though we share space, branding and patient communication remain separate. This preserved autonomy while fostering collaboration.

We built Greenwich Street Surgical to solve problems many surgeons face, but it has become more than that. It is proof that hospital-level safety can be combined with the kind of hospitality people do not expect from a surgical facility—which benefits patients and physicians alike.

We have learned that how surgery is delivered, from the environment to the patient journey, matters just as much as the surgical outcome. For us, the most rewarding part has been seeing patients arrive with understandable nerves and leave feeling truly cared for. Equally rewarding is seeing fellow surgeons proud to bring their patients here. That is exactly what we hoped for when we first discussed this idea, and it is why we believe this model has a meaningful place in the future of aesthetic care.