Demolition Danvers State Hospital

demolition of administration building.

in december 2005, property sold avalonbay communities, residential apartment developer. lawsuit filed local preservation fund stave off demolition of hospital, including kirkbride building, listed on national register of historic places. did not stop process, however, , demolition of of buildings began in january 2006, intent build 497 apartments on 77-acre (310,000 m) site.

by june 2006, of danvers state hospital buildings marked demolition had been torn down, including of unused buildings , old homes on lower grounds , of buildings on hill. demolition done testa corp. of wakefield, massachusetts. despite anger of many, historic kirkbride demolished, outermost brick shell of administration area (along g , d wards on each side) being propped during demolition , construction while entirely new structure built behind , inside of it, leaving historic danvers reservoir , original brick shell. of wood demolition project salvaged , recycled flooring , other millwork.

a replica of original tower/steeple on kirkbride built duplicate removed around 1970, due structural issues. (the first picture illustrates original tower in 1893, second , third pictures illustrate new replica in 2006 , 2007, , fourth picture illustrates 1 1970.) avalon bay predicted have properties available rent or sale fall 2007.

kirkbride complex of former danvers state hospital, pictured in 2010.

on april 7, 2007, 4 of apartment complex buildings , 4 of avalon bay s construction trailers burned down in large fire visible boston, 17 mi (27 km) away. damage confined buildings under construction on eastern end, remaining kirkbride spires caught fire due high heat.

the underground tunnel leading power plant still exists, blocked @ top of hill. exterior of kirkbride complex preserved in demolition, , cemeteries, several blocked tunnels, , brick shell of administration , d , g wings remain original site. richard trask of danvers archival center wrote, concerning state s failure preserve kirkbride complex, noting:

the failure protect , adaptively reuse grand exterior monumental blot in annals of massachusetts preservation. might have been dignified transformation of magnificent structure built serve best intentions, @ times lost way through human frailty, mere ghost-image of itself. , , our progeny losers.

on june 27, 2014, avalon bay communities, inc,. sold property $108.5 m dsf group. dsf group released plans property undergo further renovations.

a halstead danvers sign