Preservation Alert
Contents
Current Alerts
Fergus Falls State Hospital
The Fergus Falls town council is considering plans to demolish most of the historically listed Kirkbride building.
The state sold the Kirkbride and grounds to the city of Fergus Falls in 2007, and two years later, the facility closed. It has remained vacant ever since. Between 2002 and 2006, the Legislature approved $7 million in bond funds to dispose of the Kirkbride or invest in its infrastructure. The current deadline to use the funds expires in December 2014 but could be extended with legislative action. City officials claim it takes about 18 months to initiate the complicated demolition process. About $5 million of the original funds remains, since much of the facility's asbestos already has been removed. On three occasions since 2000, the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota has put the Kirkbride on its annual "Ten Most-Endangered Historic Places List," noting that the Fergus Falls Kirkbride facility is one of the few of its kind left intact in the Midwest.
UPDATES:
August 2015: The Fergus Falls City Council voted to initiate a public improvement project that would make necessary repairs to stabilize the Kirkbride Building while not jeapordizing its status as a designated historical location. http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/2015/08/council-initiates-kirkbride-repairs/
July 2015: The city of Fergus Falls severed ties with a developer after three years of discussions about a makeover for a giant property that was once a state asylum.
http://www.startribune.com/fergus-falls-breaks-off-talks-with-georgia-firm-on-redevelopment-of-former-asylum/318064461/
In May 2013, the City Council considered plans to renovate the building for residential and commercial use by developers, including one with experience in preservation of historic properties. In June the same year, a proposal was accepted by the City Council to renovate the building. The proposal included a hotel, apartments, restaurants, and a spa.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION IN THE FORUMS
How can you help?
- Contribute to the Kirkbride Development Campaign
- Join the "Friends of the Kirkbride" group to stay up-to-date on happenings and events at the Kirkbride
- Project Kirkbride
More Information
- Fergus Falls State Hospital Wiki Page
- Fergus Falls State Hospital @ Kirkbride Buildings
- Preservation Alliance of Minnesota
News
Athens State Hospital
Ohio University is planning on tearing down most of the wings some time in the future
The Athens Historical Society is trying to convince the school not to tear down any more historic structures at The Ridges. Please support them and send a message to the school's president and board of trustees either by signing the online petition, or by writing/calling the president and board directly.
UPDATES:
October 2015: Ohio University has unanimously passed the master plan for the former Athens asylum.
https://www.ohio.edu/master-plan/ridges-plan.cfm
October 2015: Old Athens insane asylum to get new life as part of Ohio University
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/10/15/old-asylum-to-get-new-life.html
JOIN THE CONVERSATION IN THE FORUMS
How can you help?
- Sign the online petition to save and restore the Kirkbride
- Writing letters or making phone calls to the school's president and board of trustees
More Information
- Fergus Falls State Hospital Wiki Page
- Fergus Falls State Hospital @ Kirkbride Buildings
- Athens County Historical Society & Museum
Past Alerts
Greystone Park State Hospital
New Jersey plans to demolish the Greystone Kirkbride despite several redevelopment proposals.
On July 16, 2008, after countless unexplained delays, patients were finally moved into the new hospital building. Administration and other departments followed in suit. Today almost all hospital services have relocated to the brand new complex. Morris County has installed skating rinks and a ball field on its 300 acre share, and plans to incorporate a dog park where the Curry Complex once stood, as well as an athletic complex for disabled athletes. The Central Avenue Complex is planned to become a mall for nonprofit charitable agencies. The state of New Jersey began looking at options for what to do with the rest of the surplus Greystone land and buildings. A group called Preserve Greystone was formed in hopes to work with the state and government to preserve both open space and the remaining buildings from the hospital.
In April 2013 the state announced that redevelopment was 'not financially feasible' and would cost less money to demolish. On August 18, 2013 the state announced it planned to tear down the historic main building at the old Greystone hospital at a cost of 50 million tax payer dollars, despite having received several viable redevelopment proposals. On August 30th Preserve Greystone filed suit against the NJ Treasury Department for release of all correspondence related to the redevelopment proposals.
UPDATE: In April 2015 demolition began on Greystone's southern female wing, the demolition continued with Greystone's northern male wing in July 2015, the building's center main buildings including the chapel, and amusement hall were demolished in September 2015, and finally with the administration building itself in October 2015.
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION IN THE FORUMS
How can you help?
- Like the "Preserve Greystone" Facebook page to stay up-to-date on happenings and events at the Kirkbride
- Visit the official Preserve Greystone website
- More ways to help
News
- Greystone plan called a ‘lose-lose’ for Parsippany taxpayers
- Greystone preservation efforts continue
- Congress candidate favors Greystone preservation
- Citizens group presses Morris freeholders to save Greystone
- N.J. moving ahead on $50M Greystone Park demolition
- State planning to tear down historic main building at old Greystone hospital
- N.J. Renovating historic Greystone building would be a money loser
- Group aims to preserve old Greystone building for future generations
More Information
- Greystone Park State Hospital Wiki Page
- Greystone State Hospital @ Kirkbride Buildings
- Aerial Images of the Kirkbride and Curry Buildings
Worcester State Hospital
The last remaining sections of the Worcester State Hospital kirkbride are in danger of demolition!
The fate of the historic Clock Tower is precarious because of a ruling by the National Park Service that the structure does not quality for Historic Tax Credits. A meeting was held at Preservation Worcester on July 27, 2011 with Carole Cornelison, Commissioner of the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM), eight additional DCAM employees, Barbara Leadholm, Commissioner of the Department of Mental Health (DMH), an additional DMH employee, Brandee Laughlin (Massachusetts Historical Commission), Drew Leff (GLC Development Resources). Michele Barker (Preservation Massachusetts) and 7 Preservation Worcester affiliated representatives. At that meeting, updates were given on the Clock Tower and the new psychiatric hospital. We were informed that because of the condition of the Clock Tower and the expenses associated with redevelopment or stabilization, DCAM plans to demolish the Clock Tower prior to the opening of the new psychiatric hospital, scheduled to open in 2012.
More..
UPDATE:
As of January 2013 demolition of the administration section of the Kirkbride has begun. The clock was dismantled, presumably to be reassembled later on.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION IN THE FORUMS!
How can you help?
- "Like" the Save WSH Clock Tower Facebook page
- Sign the online petition to save the clock tower
- Send a letter to your state elected officials
More Information
- Worcester State Hospital Wiki Page
- Worcester State Hospital @ Kirkbride Buildings
- Worcester State Hospital @ Historic Asylums
- Worcester State Hospital @ Wikipedia
- Worcester State Hospital Aerials
- Worcester State Hospital Photos by Dillon Photography
- Worcester State Hospital Photos by Opacity
- This Old Madhouse The fight to save a relic of a less-enlightened time
- Good photos of the 2008 Demolition
- Some good pictures of the hospital
- Info on the new hospital
News
