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Preston, CT
At one time the Norwich State Hospital encompassed 900 acres and over 30 buildings. The site is located on the banks of the Thames River right on the border of the City of Norwich and the town of Preston. Although primarily used as a mental health facility, it also housed geriatric patients and patients with tuberculosis between the years of 1904 and 1996. Part of the property, was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1988. Since its closure, the property has fell into dis-repair as the state, Norwich and Preston have struggled with finding a developer for the property. There have been a number of proposals made, but for one reason or another, none of the proposals ever came to fruition. The town of Preston has spent millions in clean-up and is currently marketing the property for mixed-use development, but have yet to find a buyer. Meanwhile, a number of the buildings have been demolished. This is one of the many that remain, although I'm not sure for how much longer. The property is fenced off, heavily patrolled and under constant surveillance which doesn't allow for too many up-close photo opportunities to capture these fine old structures. I posted another view of this property earlier this year.
I'll bet that in it's time the term "mental health facility" was probably not used. I can think of a few other descriptions that might are been more common.
ReplyDeleteIt is a really a wonderful old building with some great features. I imagine there could be some great condos or apartments on the upper floors if someone had the money to do it right... but I think there may be a stigma attached that is not in favor of upscale development.
You're right, John. It was established as the Norwich State Hospital for the Insane and housed those with mental illnesses and those guilty of crimes by insanity. The property overlooks the Thames River and offers some gorgeous views of the river. It is also located directly across from Mohegan Sun Casino. I would think this would be prime real estate, but the cost of demolition and remediation of the property, which contains considerable toxic waste, might be prohibitively expensive for potential developers. I'm also surprised that the Mohegan Tribe hasn't expressed an interest in acquiring the property to incorporate into their tribal lands, located across the river. The place fascinates me every time I drive by.
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