This is probably the most intimidating building in all of Rochester. The 16-story Terrence Building was once heralded as a “tower of hope” for the mentally ill (see this blog post ). Today the vacant structure looms over Elmwood Avenue and the Rochester Psychiatric Center campus like a nightmare. The Elmwood psych center campus was originally constructed as the Rochester State Hospital. This state-run mental hospital took over responsibilities from the Monroe County Insane Asylum in 1891. The Terrence Building was opened in 1959 and housed over 1,000 beds until 1995 when the last patients were moved to newer facilities elsewhere on the campus.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s inside, you’d not be alone. One RocSubway reader (who wishes to remain anonymous) found a way into the secured building. He submitted several photos, along with this written account of his expedition. Be sure to watch the related video at the end of this post to learn more about the Terrence Building…
“Ever since I first drove past the structure, I had wanted to know more about it. It had that presence that made it seem overly important and permanent. When I learned it was abandoned, my interest peaked. I started to look online for information about its history and anything about people getting inside. I hardly found anything.
With the ground floor sealed and patrolling security, I wrote it off for years as impossible to get in to and that I would never know what was within those tall walls. It was when I saw a recently posted picture online from the roof of the building that I knew I was wrong.
It was Sunday morning. The sun wasn’t up yet, but I was. Packed and ready to go for a trip that until a few days prior I thought I would never get a chance to do. I had heard about a possible opening into the building. With that seemingly figured out, I just had to get in without being seen.
I parked in a neighborhood across the street to keep my car off the property. I crossed Elmwood Avenue and, under the cover of darkness, approached the monolithic and imposing structure. Sure enough, my proposed entry point was unsealed. This was what I had been waiting for. I timed my entry and slithered in through the broken glass and plywood. It was now 5:15am and I was inside a building I had only seen in dreams. The Terrence Building.
I went to the lobby and the front stairs first. From there, looking back up at the building, it felt like I was going straight into the belly of the beast. In the bottom of a spaceship. 17 floors of unknown medical and surgical science loomed above me in the hazy pre-dawn mist. It was just me and this spectacular structure, alone at last.
I quickly found the nearest stairwell and took it to the 15th floor, where I then switched to an alternate staircase to gain entry to the top floors of mechanics, piping and the roof. There I witnessed a picturesque sunrise the likes of which I’ve never seen. From here it seemed as though I was on top of the world, but much was left to conquer below me.
At 6:00 am I headed down the roof hatch and started the descent. Room after room. Hallway after hallway. Large day rooms seemingly untouched since they closed the doors in the mid 1990s. Other areas looked as though they had been neglected for several decades.
As an architecture enthusiast, I was enthralled to learn how the structure of the building was laid out. It was divided into East and West with the elevators in the middle. Each wing was nearly identical on each side except 15 East, which was filled with surgical rooms, and the first and second floors, which included classrooms and offices.
At the end of all hallways except for those facing Elmwood Avenue, were large open areas. Each largely different from the others. Some were completely empty, some were half walled, some had small rooms, some were set up for recreational use, others for sleeping.
It was when I entered one on the 14th East floor that I felt something. I was hunkered down in the corner trying to get some photographs of the sterile and clean room when I felt completely at ease. It was an interesting feeling. I had figured that since I would be in an abandoned psychiatric tower by myself at the crack of dawn that every turn I took would be haunting and terrifying.
After entering and navigating the 15 flights of stairs in the darkness to do my roof climb, I was nervous and anxious, like I was invading on the building’s privacy. However, in that room I didn’t feel fear, uneasiness, or anything but a very welcoming, and frankly, overwhelming sense of being. I’m not one for paranormal experiences, but in several places in this building I felt a comfortable connection, as if the story of life in this vertical world was to be told.
Rooms were cramped and small. No more than 7′ by 10′, probably even smaller in some cases. There were communal showers and bathrooms at each hallway junction. They were cramped, crude, and some only had small partitions between toilets. The windows were sealed behind layers of glass and locks.
I had gone through a handful of floors now, and started to get a confined and claustrophobic view on how many spent their lives in the tower. I grew anxious, wanting to get closer to earth and the world I knew outside. It was as if I had stepped off into my unconscious; a bad dream. Hallway after hallway of unending rooms, repeated, over and over with no escape.
Every door had locks and deadbolts. West patients probably never saw the patients to the East and were confined to their tiny spit of tile overlooking a world they dreamed to return to.
At 7:30 am I had hit the fourth floor. This was the start of many additional wings and protrusions from the building. It included more dayrooms, exercise centers, classrooms, and public cafeterias…
Water leaking through the roof had deteriorated many of these spaces, creating a tense feeling as I went past the pitch black elevator lobbies to the rear of the building.
At last I reached the main floor.
The main lobby was small and impersonal. A large glass box was situated in the middle as the reception desk. What once was the main entrance to the building was cold, quiet, and neglected. Hanging plants by the front stairs sat silent and still. Broken glass had become the new floor covering. I retreated back into the building, this time to go one more floor down.
It might have been 9am but you would never know it down here. The bowels of the old psychiatric hospital were damp and dilapidated. I pressed through the veins out to each wing. Cold empty rooms greeted me at each corner. The elevators had come to rest down here, with doors half open filled with supplies and emergency equipment from the floors above. The main kitchen, at one time presumably fitted with the best appliances and resources was now a shell. Only the large commercial hood remained. I turned and went down a final hallway scattered with debris. A large printer sat idle in the corner.
I turned and hit the morgue. A small and unassuming room. A dainty autopsy table sat in the center with a chalkboard overlooking it. On it was different body parts written in white paint along with ‘Time’ and ‘Date’ of death written at the top. I turned around to find six empty body freezers facing me. One open and out as if the employees almost forgot something on their way out nearly two decades ago.
I had my fill. I crawled back out my entrance and cautiously walked down the main sidewalk to my car. I turned one more time to see the place I had gotten to know so well that day. I couldn’t help but think, I was only in there for part of one day… I can’t imagine what it would’ve been like to be there any longer than that.’
Very interesting tour of a structure I often wondered about myself! Being in real estate, this was intriguing for me. Many years ago, a friend and I did a “tour” of the former sanitarium located in Dansville, NY. Your pics and commentary reminded of our adventure back then!
Great essay…we have so many of these buildings around the state that it’s great to see inside them. Another one of the casualties of de-institutionalization. Have you ever seen the movie “Session 9”? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261983/
Absolutely enthralling. Thank you for sharing this essay and short film. Architecture is inextricably linked to human stories, both good and bad. This is especially evident in the case of this building.
My grandmother worked in that building. When she would get off from her shift my mother would take me there to drop me off to my grandmother before she went to work. The patients were very nice and the building was not scary even for a 7 year old. I heard that the building is sinking that is why they built another building. Just another old abandoned building in Rochester that is going to be expensive to tear down…
Great post! Are there plans to make the movie into a full-length documentary? I really liked the interviews – touching reflection on how we treat people with mental illness. And it was so cool to have interviews with former patients and caregivers alike. stories about place are ultimately stories about people.
This post is particularly poignant to me. Having experienced the heartbreak of having a loved one treated there for a period of time was a depressing pal over our group of friends and family. Help was actually found there and I figure we were blessed but I can never erase the memory of my first visit there. Young people huddled on the floors mumbling to themselves, the young man walking in disrobed and thinking he was Adonis and multiple Jesus Christs in attendance. The smell, the distracted blank faces, the doctors drumming up what was left of their compassion.
I also had a couple friends that were nurses there. They felt they made a positive difference. I don’t know. I do know that those who had insurance to make it to R-Wing were blessed. Those without insurance who were sent here…… well, it was a crapshoot.
powerful images. it is so important for us not to forget about our past. We need to learn from our past and remember our past
so as to not repeat history.
I’m wondering how it is this writer/photographer drove by this place so many times, amazed by it and wondering what it was like inside, then breaks in and write “I’m finally inside a building I’ve only ever seen in my dreams”.
Am I the only one interested in the hanging plants? They seem so out-of-place in an abandoned building. And if they were fake they would have faded long ago. What’s up with the plants?
what an awful place this must have been it has sat vacant for so long now if its rehabital then maybe it needs to e done and made in to low income apartments or sr housing it seems such a waste and it is for sure an eye sore to elmwood ave something needs to be done
@Kay, I found the hanging plants a bit odd too. And then there are all the drugs and medical supplies left behind. This place feels a bit like Pompeii.
The Terrence building was my very first job as a graduate registered nurse. It was 1965 and I worked on the alcohol admissions unit. I believe it was the fifth floor at the time. I was fresh out of nursing school and knew that psychiatry was my field. I did tour many of the other wards at the time and found the top two floors were the med-surg units, not my field. The floors I worked on were pretty chaotic as most patients were experiencing D.T’s. The building was still fairly new at the time and didn’t feel as haunting as you described in your article. In fact I remember the pool tables in the large “day rooms” where many of the patients taught me how to play a mean game of pool. I remember the communal showers where people lined up. There was no privacy. Patients slept in large rooms together. I don’t recall any private rooms. I only worked there for 4 or 5 months until I passed my RN boards and moved on to bigger psych units in NYC. I also remember some pretty eerie tunnels that ran underground and went between buildings without going outside.
Now that was “spooky”
My grandmother was a patient there for the last year of her life, before passing away in 1965. She was well cared for there, but it was a very depressing place to visit. We would meet her in the day room, and I remember patients strapped into chairs, humming and shrieking, and once, someone had defecated on the floor.
I was told last year by a resident in a nearby neighborhood that rumors say that a shell corporation for Wegmans has bought the building, and that Wegmans, which was turned down before for an application to build a store there, is biding its time. Given the enormous cost of demolition including asbestos abatement, this would be a very positive improvement!
I think that whoever owns the property could get rid of the asbestos, clean the building, and turn it into Apartments, or housing. There are many unused buildings along South Ave, & Elmwood Ave that could be rehabed. If this is too costly, then tear the buildings down. It’s prime real estate locations.
Great piece, as well as the film! My grandmother was placed here in late 60’s after her dementia mad this the “best” choice for her end of life care. My Dad never took any of us kids here to visit her, and I understand why.
Thanks!!!
Interesting, I find it peculiar that there is no commentary on the graffiti “Help me their behind” and “Dead People” those messages seem rather haunting, were they left by vandals or perhaps patients?
Everytime I passed that building I always wondered why it was never converted into highrise housing, or offices, or something of use. It just stood there closed and chained up. Sad to see what the building used to stand for but great to see the advances in psychiatric help. Great video and pictures. Thank you for enlightening us on what was a mystery for most of us.
@ Robert Sigurdsen: PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK is still listed as the owner of the building, although who knows.
*
As far as the stories about the building sinking, can anyone confirm? This is a great building for conversion to residential (purchase and rent), as well as restaurant space….
Hi, my mother who was a young nurse, fresh out of school. She worked there briefly before transferring to Monroe Community Hospital. She remembered at one time, she was walking with other nurses and a medical doctor in one of the tunnels where they had Nurses Room, the nurses heard strange scratching sounds. It was dim, and the lights gave weird overcast yellow tone in the tunnels. As soon as they started walking again, mice ran past them, sending my mother and other nurses in a panic and ran. Usually mice try to avoid humans and will run away from you, but in this case, the mice ran pas them. Since that night, Mom and other nurses carried flashlight and walked as fast as they could to get out of the tunnel. She didn’t think it was haunted but it was definitely one of the “spooky” times. I remember walking in the foyer, and playing with a young deaf woman with cards. Thank you for posting this!
I worked there as a student nurse in 1980. It was my second rotation of duty. I was young, going to change the world starting there. The patients were contracted, had bed sores. I mentioned this to my head nurse and was told in no uncertain terms”You better learn to keep your mouth shut or I’ll make sure you never sit for state boards.
I agree with other commenters. It seems a shame to demolish the building. It seems like it would be a perfect candidate for a mixed-use building servicing UR, MCC, and the rest of the medical complex. Some floors could be transformed into apartments for young medical professionals. Some could be transformed into dormitories for MCC and UR students. Some of the larger rooms on the first few floors could be rented out as space for medical and educational conferences. The conference center could be served by hotel rooms located on the floors above. Some of these large rooms could also be turned into a gym and bar/restaurant for residents and conference-goers.
Has anyone been able to find a floor plan of the building? It would be pretty cool to try to work up a rehabilitated version.
Having spoken to local developers, the entire problem is asbestos. I mean, the city spent $1.5m to abate 88 elm, and as square feet go, this building must be 5x larger, at least. That’s a huge bill to foot before building out units/office space/etc.
However, it always needs to be pointed out that you are required by law to abate the asbestos anyway. Demolition will then be on top of that cost. Wouldn’t it be better to abate, then repurpose?
@Joel – It would absolutely be better to abate and reuse, although in this case, I do wonder. Largely because continuing the street grid from the north side of Elmwood and building more homes/townhomes/small apt buildings might be better than one large tower in a park. It might be too late for that, though, now that this BS has happened: http://goo.gl/maps/30hR5
About the project at Elmwood Avenue right next to Terrence, called Brickstone Senior Housing Community: That is a Christa Construction project. They are acting like any other parasitic developer, unfortunately. Here is a description from the company’s recent newsletter:
“With bank financing finally in place, the long-anticipated Brickstone senior housing
community project moves forward. Officials and guests with ceremonial shovels
broke ground in a field on Elmwood Ave. in Brighton this past winter, signifying
the start of a major construction project that will revolutionize the concept of senior
living in the Rochester area. Construction begins in the spring on Brickstone, a 18-
acre senior housing community on Elmwood Ave. that is part of St. John’s.
When fully completed, Brickstone will comprise 102 dwelling units – apartments
and lofts, one-story bungalows and two story townhouses – situated around the
natural wetlands that currently exist on the property. The design and layout of the
development also includes walking trails and pathways and a Village Square that
will house retail outlets available to residents of both Brickstone and the neighboring
community in Brighton.
The Brighton Town Board and its Planning Board approved the project in March
of 2009. The delay in the start of construction was due to the difficulty in obtaining
bank financing. The project will cost $32 million.”
What’s more: if you take a look at the buildings and townhomes, some idiot decided it was a good idea to alternate roofing colors to the attached structures! So, you have a green roof, follow by a brown roof, then a black roof, then a grey roof, and so forth.
It is really interesting, in a particular way for me that I am from Europe. It is amazing how many neglected buildings with an interesting story you can find in the US. Also considering the story of the RPC before the Terrence Tower construction.
You have enough space to have the luxury that to build a new building, is cheaper than taking care of an old one.
If the asbestos had not been a problem, a multipurpose building would have been a great idea.It would be more attractive considering the area and considering what it will be in the near future after the UoR project for the Strong Hospital area will be completed.
Single purpose building, like students housing, wouldn’t be a great idea. Working at UoR, close to the housing matters, I am pretty sure students would avoid it for many different reasons.
Anyway Terence Tower’s time will come soon or later.
Wow. The documentary was a wonderfully produced, directed, and photographed piece. I’d like to thank the director, and the people who were interviewed, for sharing this important story. I’d like to know if the documentary is available for purchase? I work for the local library system and would love a copy for our collection.
So is it actually being demo’d? The floor plan seems hard to reuse, but its a shame to see an interesting building come down. The city/state would be better served to have a cooling period between asbestos abatement and demo for an interested party to step forward and buy the property for re-use. As said before, abatement has to come whether its demo’d or reused, so a final period to allow someone to step forward and reuse it would be good.
Thanks for posting the video and photos of the old Rochester Psychiatric Center the information is quite accurate, but there may be some parts of the story that could have been explored a little more.
I worked there for 13 years between 1973 and 1992 as a “Mental Hygiene Therapist Aide” and then as a Rehabilitation Counselor.
I had some interesting experiences working there and did a little mini-doc (8 1/2 min.) that I have posted on YouTube.
It’s called “Parallel Worlds.”
Here’s the link if you’d be interested in checking it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obN2KLxSwGE&list=PLD31BC21FB0FC09BF
You’re more than welcome to embed or share this video if you know folks that would be interested in seeing this part of the Psych Center’s history.
This is an amazing, truly captivating story of the lives that were impacted by the Terrance Bldg. and all it offered, represented and took away. As a young mental health worker, I remember the hallways, the community rooms, the pain. And I remember the collaborative nature of the staff to help the patients. Truly we have a ways to go in understanding social mental health treatment…but the foundation of caring was built here. Thank you for this wonderfully accurate and balanced tribute.
I too, worked @ RPC 7 years ago, treatment and backlash from staff for engaging with residents is still the same. I left from pressure from staff like the mans video. Still happens today. I recently took pics in the Iola tunnels and got some very disturbing spirit pics. Since then ‘things’ have been happening to discourage me from going back to get more.
As a young nurse,I worked there in the early eighties. I have to say that the 2 1/2 years that I worked there were the worst years of my total thirty years in nursing. The place so depressed me. I could not have been much help for anyone else because I was so depressed about the conditions of the warehoused people there. But most depressing to me was the feeling of hopelessness regarding the ineffectiveness of the therapies. Let’s face it the mentally ill were simply sent there so that they would be out of the sights and minds of the public. Simply warehoused.
In the EOTP video when it shows the outside of the back of the building it looks like their is a security camera above the fenced gate. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
My Mother was confined to a facility on state street in 1956. I know you said this building wasn’t opened until 1959. Where would she have been confined? Would I be able to find her medical records? I know she had shock treatments. If anyone can help it would be truly appreciated. Thank you in advance
If you want more information on the Psychiatric Center, I recommend going to the local history section, in the Public Library down town. You will come across files of newspaper articles dating all the way back to the construction of the center to its shut down. You will be shocked at some of the information you find.
Wegmans wanted to put a store there at one time but the neighborhood fought against it. I heard that the cost of removing the asbestos is several hundred thousands of dollars which would be needed to do in order to raze or remodel building for other uses. At one time the state was willing to sell the building for one dollar with the buyer agreeing to raze or remodel building. There were a few other ideas put in place but the neighborhood kept rejecting them.
I remember in the early eighties, I was about five or six,visiting my dad on the 13th floor. I was shocked when I saw a picture in the video of the day room with the dove on the wall. It jogged all sorts of memories. That was when they were doing experimentalstudies of new drugs on patients and electroshock therapy. I knew what OCD (what my dad was being treated for, and I also have) was at that age. After watching the video, I remember things I have shoved down for thirty years. And yes mental health studies and medications have evolved greatly since then. This was a enlightening stroll down memory lane.
My Mom was hospitalized in 1955-56. I know the building was on south avenue. They said it was the state hospital, but according to this video this didn’t open until 1959. I would appreciate any help as to where she would have been kept, and if there is any way I could find her medical records from that time.
The building open 1959 but the state hospital was there over 100 years still some older building on the grounds and some were torn down. The hospital grounds at one time ran all the was to s clinton and to westfall rd
Prior to the opening of the Terrence Tower, the State Hospital campus consisted of buildings lining both sides of Elmwood Avenue, near the corner of South Avenue and going east.
I well remember as a kid, riding in our car down Elmwood Avenue, and seeing the screened in porches where the residents of the State Hospital often sat outside in the warmer weather. Many of these buildings, demolished long ago, were on the site occupied by the Al Sigl Center today.
I have no idea about whether medical records could be released – my great – aunt was treated there repeatedly, and died in 1957. I have often thought that it would be interesting to see if I could obtain information about her diagnosis and treatment.
@Robert Sigurdsen, this link to the NYS archives gives information about who can access records of former patients in NYS psychiatric facilities. As a descendant, you may have some access to the records of your great-aunt (and your grandmother, whom you mentioned in an earlier comment). Look halfway down the page to the section titled “Former patients and their legal representatives, immediate representatives, and descendants.” http://www.archives.nysed.gov/a/research/res_access.shtml#patient
Actually, wegmans was not involved with this property, which is actually in the City of Rochester. The Brighton border is at the Brickstone lot line. It was in fact the Brickstone property that Wegmans was pursuing. Some of you may recall that there was a raised ranch set very far back behind a property perimeter white horse paddock style fence. For years the mailbox at the street had the name Douglas H Stone on it. I am not sure when, but sometime in the 90’s the property owner passed. My understanding is that that owner had granted wegmans an option to purchAse the land for a store. It was a fairly long term option as the go…Somewhere between 5 and 20 years. Wegmans was never able to reach an accord with he Town of Brighton that telegraphed the necessary zoning approvals. Had they gotten those, for which they never actually applied because they had no positive signals ( the option would have given them standing to apply)they would have applied for zoning and upon approval exercised the option to purchase, and demolished the house and built. The towns objections centered on the alteration of the residential character of elmwood avenue, which, from 490 east through twelve corners to the UR is generally true except for small commercial intersections at monroe and Clinton. Wegmans allowed the option to expire and thus Brickstone. Traffic was also a consideration, and maybe a fair one. Wegmans DID own, through a shell corp, the land on the SW corner of Thornell and route 64 (by the traffic light). They wanted for decades to put a store there to be closer to southern pittsford and mendon customers. I guess sadly for the folks in mendon and that area, they gave up because the town of pittsford would not have it. They sold it to a developer who built new houses and erected the store on Calkins rd to serve some of the south pittsford customers, and hatbosmwhynit is so close to hylan….ps. I have no connection to wegmans and never half. :-). And yea….Terrence was closed because of asbestos. For those eagle eyesd folks made verizon wireless remove the cell site and antennas on the roof in about 2005. Did any of you. Ot ice those antennae survived the closing ofmthe building by a decade? I heard verizon was pissed and fought it for a long time.
A few corrections-
“Rooms were cramped and small. No more than 7′ by 10′, probably even smaller in some cases.” Each private room had room for a bed & dresser and a mirror on each wall. They were used for sleeping & getting dressed & were unoccupied during the day & evening untill bed time. “The windows were sealed behind layers of glass and locks.” The hall way windows and in various rooms did open but were protected by large screens that were kept locked & required a special key which was not carried by staff.
“Every door had locks and deadbolts.” There were no dead bolts. Nearly eery door in the bulding used a bit key, picure a very large skeleton key. All staff carried these.
“…public cafeterias” There were no public cafeterias, the only place to get food routinely was the canteen, located on the ground floor which was only vending machines & used by staff & patients.
It was bright, lots of sun light and the residential areas were kept clean & well maintained. Efforts were made to make it as comfortable as possible. There were daily activities, PT, a social club in another building, patients were able to leave the wards depending on behavior levels, sheltered workshops, a gift shop and other things. Certainly not a stay at a hotel, but not a prison.
I’ve read some of your stories and each is different. I think people do not completely understand and neither do I at times, the reasons why patients are brought there. I do however know how it feels to have my own mother a patient there. as far back as I can remember she was in and out of mental facilities. my mother had shock treatments at one state hospital in this area too. can you imagine having wires hooked to your head a tounge depresser in your mouth and your body tied down to a gurney so when you were shocked you don’t move or fall. so sad. I will never understand it. my mother was a very kind quiet person. she lived in Terrence building from 1986 til it closed. some of the pics reminded me again on how we used to visit her. And the old elevators took us to her floor way up high. the big locks on the doors. and yes we seen patients screaming and in chairs in a corner looking out windows sorta like the movie one flew over the cuckoos nest. my mom would say becareful people are crazy here lol. she moved into the knew building an stayed til she died in 2008. yes she lived a long time there. I want to thankyou all for your posts good and bad it reminded me of my mother today. rip Thelma.
I actually have an old set of keys for some section of the old Psych center that my father somehow got from someone in the 70’s. Has a brass tag that say’s “Rochester Psychiatric center” stamped on one side and 2063 on the other with two normal looking keys, one that looks like a restraint key and a creepy old skeleton key.
My girlfriend and I got into the Terrance building back in summer of 2011. Didn’t even bother looking for entry on the first floor since everything looked boarded up. We got in and explored for about an hour before hearing many footsteps and banging coming up one of the staircases. We were spooked out of our minds and didn’t know what to do. We opted to call out (who knows if that was the best thing to do…) and it turns out it was the fire department and they do regular drills there. The dudes were actually really cool and after asking “You know you’re not supposed to be in here, right?” asked “Have you seen the morgue yet?” They proceeded to show us around before escorting us out of the building. We didn’t get to the top of the building (bummer since we wanted to watch sunset from the roof) but it turned out to be quite the experience.
Me and a bunch of friends used to go in there pretty frequently. One of them would bring in a sawzall in his backpack and cut copper pipes from the bathroom, so we all started going with him and exploring. We’d have to hide nearby and wait for security to drive by making his round, and as soon as he left we’d run over and climb up into a boarded window that was open in one corner. We went all over that building multiple times, from the roof to the basement, and actually got caught one time. The cops just said if we did it again we’d get arrested. The only room I remember not being able to find was the morgue, we looked for so long. But we actually found these underground tunnels connecting the other nearby buildings that are also abandoned. That was the best part.
Does anyone know who owns this building? I read above that it was for sale 2 years ago with the promise that the asbestos be removed. Would love some more info on this. I’m sure it’s way more involved but with an asbestos detector how long would it take one to clear it all out? I would put in months/years of work every day to have the rights to this beautiful building. Thanks in advance
Back in the early 70s I heard about an incident where the newly hired director of the center, an Englishman, decided to take a personal tour of the wards. He let himself in with his key and spent a half hour or so checking the place out. When he decided to leave, he discovered to his annoyance that he had mislaid his key and left his wallet in his jacket in his office.
He approached an attendant and told him who he was and that he would like to be let out. The attendant said, “Of course you are, sir”, and told him to go and sit with the other patients. The director began to lose his temper and argue with the man and pretty soon other staff showed up and the director was about to be placed in a strait jacket when someone recognized him and let him out.
Wow,its been 42 years since I left there in 1973.my parents put me in there in 1969.I was on the children’s ward.everything was always locked even the elevators.I would love to walk through it now.thank you for the video.
I had the opportunity to go inside this past Friday with two friends…its incredible. The place is trashed, graffiti everywhere, holes in the walls, etc. We managed to make it all the way from the basement up to the roof…the view was breathtaking. I’d definitely go back inside. We were there for about 2 hours and i still feel like we missed things.
I was a nursing student there in 1974 or 1975.
It was an eerie place back then. I remember the padded rooms for the violent patients.
I was assigned a patient who kept his eyes closed all the time. One class I walked with him down a long dark deserted hall and decided to ask him why he kept his eyes closed all time.
You can imagine how I felt when he replied “So I don’t kill anyone.” Let me tell you we headed back to the main area fast!
Linda, i am doing a school project on the Walters building and was wondering if you would be willing to do a interview for me if so contact me at [email protected] . Thanks -Cate
I am an architecture student in my thesis year at Alfred state college. I am from Rochester and have been very interested in this building for years. I am proposing to reuse the building as a rehabilitation center to combat Rochester’s heroin epidemic. I would love to hear more about your experience in the building. Please send me an email if you’re willing to talk more.
Best, Paige
Paige — your problems will be multiple: the neighborhood wants this building gone. People in Rochester have no vision, including the building’s current owner Bob Morgan. The list is endless. However, I support your efforts and think that you should give it a try. You might also want to reach out and interview Sheriff Todd Baxter as part of your research.
Drove by it for the first time ever today, though I was born at Strong in 1960, left in 1967 and plan to move here in mid 2020. My first thought – honest – was “abandoned psychiatric hospital.” Gave me the willies, creeps and shivers as I passed.
It’s a shame to drive by it and see such a huge building without a purpose. I wonder if it will be renovated or knocked down for new construction. Perhaps it could be built to better use as a modern medical office building or extension of one of the hospitals.
Get Email Updates...
Stay up-to-date on Rochester-related stories, artifacts, and ideas that you won't find in the mainstream news.
Totally free, never spammy, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
After the Erie Canal was rerouted south of downtown Rochester, the Rochester
Industrial & Rapid Transit Railway (the subway) was built in
its place as a link between the five different railroads and interurban trolley
lines that served the Rochester area. As the industrial landscape of Rochester
changed, and highways replaced the railroads, the Rochester subway gradually
became a relic of a bygone era. In 1956 the subway was abandoned and much of
its route was converted into Interstate 490 built to connect Rochester
with the New York State Thruway (I-90). Read more about the history of the Rochester Subway.
RochesterSubway.com exists to help spark
public dialogue around how we can better connect the neighborhoods of Rochester
NY, surrounding communities, and their cultural offerings. Rochesters
future is written in her past. Let's rediscover it.
Very interesting tour of a structure I often wondered about myself! Being in real estate, this was intriguing for me. Many years ago, a friend and I did a “tour” of the former sanitarium located in Dansville, NY. Your pics and commentary reminded of our adventure back then!