H.H. Richardson Complex
Encyclopedia
H.H. Richardson Complex is a recently-coined name for the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, a large Medina red sandstone and brick hospital that stands on the grounds of the present day Buffalo Psychiatric Center in Buffalo, New York
. The official name for the complex (at least technically so) remains as the Buffalo Psychiatric Center (originally Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, and, later, known as Buffalo State Hospital). It was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1986.,
The hospital buildings were designed in 1870 in the Kirkbride Plan
by architect Henry Hobson Richardson
with grounds by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted
. The complex consists of a central administrative tower and five pavilions or wards progressively set back on each side, for eleven buildings total, all connected by short curved two-story corridors. Patients were segregated by sex, males on the east side, females on the west. The wards housed mental patients until the mid-1970s. The central administration building was used for offices until 1994. In 1973, the Asylum was added to the National Register of Historic Places
and in 1986, it was designated a National Historic Landmark
.
The complex, the largest commission of Richardson's career, marks the advent of his characteristic Richardsonian Romanesque
style. It has been the subject of a long-term preservation campaign. Nevertheless, three pavilions on the east side were demolished in the 1970s to make way for newer psychiatric facilities. The grounds north the building have been occupied by Buffalo State College
since the 1960s. Meanwhile, extant buildings have been allowed to deteriorate, some dangerously so.
A successful lawsuit filed by the Preservation Coalition of Erie County (renamed Preservation Buffalo Niagara in October 2008) forced the State of New York to commit $100 million to its rehabilitation. As a result, the State established the Richardson Center Corporation to rehabilitate the complex. Their workers have installed a fence surrounding the perimeter of the complex and have sealed or fenced all ground-level entrances to the complex, to protect it from vandals. A highly trained Peace Officer
is on duty at all times to conduct regular patrols of the area to prevent and deter crime. Local volunteers maintain spotlights on the central towers, providing dramatic illumination at night.
At a public meeting on November 27, 2007, the Richardson Center Corporation presented updates on the progress of the project, including a finished Historic Structures Report, which offers a detailed analysis of structural and physical conditions at the complex.
On March 5, 2008, initial repairs were begun on the most severely damaged buildings, including the roof and down-spouts. Further repairs—stabilizations for Building 43, roof repairs for Buildings 10 & 45, and stabilization of the corridor linking buildings 39 & 40, which is currently so damaged that one sees straight through the corridor in places—are underway.
On April 10, 2010 a two-alarm fire occurred. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Damage was estimated at $200,000.
Patient records from 1881 to 1975 are in the collection of the New York State Archives in Albany, NY. Privacy restrictions apply.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The official name for the complex (at least technically so) remains as the Buffalo Psychiatric Center (originally Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, and, later, known as Buffalo State Hospital). It was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1986.,
The hospital buildings were designed in 1870 in the Kirkbride Plan
Kirkbride Plan
The Kirkbride Plan refers to a system of mental asylum design advocated by Philadelphia psychiatrist Thomas Story Kirkbride in the mid-19th century.-History:The establishment of state mental hospitals in the U.S...
by architect Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson
Henry Hobson Richardson was a prominent American architect who designed buildings in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and other cities. The style he popularized is named for him: Richardsonian Romanesque...
with grounds by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
. The complex consists of a central administrative tower and five pavilions or wards progressively set back on each side, for eleven buildings total, all connected by short curved two-story corridors. Patients were segregated by sex, males on the east side, females on the west. The wards housed mental patients until the mid-1970s. The central administration building was used for offices until 1994. In 1973, the Asylum was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and in 1986, it was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
The complex, the largest commission of Richardson's career, marks the advent of his characteristic Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
style. It has been the subject of a long-term preservation campaign. Nevertheless, three pavilions on the east side were demolished in the 1970s to make way for newer psychiatric facilities. The grounds north the building have been occupied by Buffalo State College
Buffalo State College
The State University of New York College at Buffalo, referred to as Buffalo State College, often referred to colloquially as Buff State, is a public, liberal arts college in Buffalo, New York, United States and is part of the State University of New York. Buffalo State was founded in 1871 as the...
since the 1960s. Meanwhile, extant buildings have been allowed to deteriorate, some dangerously so.
A successful lawsuit filed by the Preservation Coalition of Erie County (renamed Preservation Buffalo Niagara in October 2008) forced the State of New York to commit $100 million to its rehabilitation. As a result, the State established the Richardson Center Corporation to rehabilitate the complex. Their workers have installed a fence surrounding the perimeter of the complex and have sealed or fenced all ground-level entrances to the complex, to protect it from vandals. A highly trained Peace Officer
Peace officer
A law enforcement officer , in North America, is any public-sector employee or agent whose duties involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include police officers, prison officers, customs officers, immigration officers, bailiffs, probation officers, parole officers, auxiliary officers, and...
is on duty at all times to conduct regular patrols of the area to prevent and deter crime. Local volunteers maintain spotlights on the central towers, providing dramatic illumination at night.
On March 5, 2008, initial repairs were begun on the most severely damaged buildings, including the roof and down-spouts. Further repairs—stabilizations for Building 43, roof repairs for Buildings 10 & 45, and stabilization of the corridor linking buildings 39 & 40, which is currently so damaged that one sees straight through the corridor in places—are underway.
On April 10, 2010 a two-alarm fire occurred. The cause of the fire was under investigation. Damage was estimated at $200,000.
Patient records from 1881 to 1975 are in the collection of the New York State Archives in Albany, NY. Privacy restrictions apply.
External links
- Richardson Center Corporation website, a not for profit 501(c)(3) organization working to restore and preserve the H.H. Richardson buildings.
- Recent photoessay on the current state of the Richardson Complex
- Another recent photoessay on Buffalo State Hospital
- State Lunatic Asylum (8 photos), at Historic American Buildings SurveyHistoric American Buildings SurveyThe Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
- New York State Asylum for the Insane (commercial photography site)
- http://preserve.bfn.org/bam/archs/rich/statekowsky/
- http://www.faithelevators.us/bpc01.html
- http://www.buffalonian.com/history/articles/1951-now/hhrichardson2002/
- Buffalo State Hospital - Asylum Projects