A plan by St. Vincent’s hospital and Rudin Management to build a new hospital and luxury housing in the Greenwich Village Historic District are facing strong opposition from resident groups, preservationists, and the City Council speaker, Christine Quinn, whose support is crucial if the project is to be approved by the council.

“While I fully recognize the need for a new state-of-the-art hospital, I cannot support the proposal as it appears before you today,” Ms. Quinn said in a statement that was read by an aide at a hearing of the 11-member Landmarks Preservation Commission yesterday. Hospital officials are attempting to convince the commission to allow the sale of nine buildings to Rudin for $310 million. The proceeds from the sale would go toward replacing its current facility on Seventh Avenue with a 21-story, $800 million hospital on a site between 12th and 13th streets.

The landmarks commission must sign off on the project before it proceeds to the city’s uniform land use review process, and many see this as the most difficult step. The commission did not take any action yesterday.

Rudin has plans to condemn the nine buildings and build 650,000 square feet of luxury housing, along with street-level retail space, underground parking, and medical office space.

The president and chief executive officer of St. Vincent’s, Henry Amoroso, said the floor layout of the current hospital does not lend itself to a financially viable renovation plan. St. Vincent’s was $270 million in debt after filing for bankruptcy three years ago.

Asked what his plan B is if the plan is rejected, he said: “We would have to sit down and examine our options, but it would be a sad day for health care in Manhattan if landmarks says no.”

Assemblywoman Deborah Glick and state Senator Thomas Duane also opposed the current plan, as did the Municipal Art Society of New York. Preservationists say the demolition of nine buildings in a historic district would set a bad precedent.