The governing board of St. Vincent's Hospital has decided to shut down
its flagship location in Greenwich Village in Manhattan.

The long-standing hospital was among the first to welcome and treat people with HIV/AIDS when the virus started to spread in New York City in the early 1980s.

New York governor David Paterson said Tuesday that he would work with the board to ensure that some outpatient services — like HIV treatment — would be maintained, according to The New York Times. While the final date for St. Vincent's Hospital to operate as a fully functioning facility is unknown, the last day for elective surgeries is April 14.