November 23, 2008
Saint Louis City Hospital
City Hospital was originally built in 1846. Well the first one was, but it burned to the ground 10 years later. So the new City Hospital was built in 1857… But then the “Great Cyclone” of 1896 hit Saint Louis and utterly destroyed the hospital. So the new, new, City Hospital was eventually built in 1906. And it only expanded from there. By 1970 there were 12 buildings on site. But only 15 years later, in 1985, the institution moved and abandoned its former home.
I don’t have many regrets, but I do regret missing out on City Hospital in all its abandoned glory. It was a massive old hospital. And as far as abandoned hospitals go, at least around here, it was second to none. It’s still a legendary place even though most of the buildings are gone now. Thankfully, however the main building remains. Sure it has been renovated into condos for wealthy city folk who are probably the same kind of people that would have been petitioning for its demolition just a decade ago, calling it an “eyesore”. But it still stands and for that I’m thankful. But I’m mad at myself for not getting myself out here just a little sooner..
I was aware of the old outbuildings and their ongoing renovation, but it was too much of a tease to me to go explore some gutted remnants of what used to be an insanely awesome location. Despite this, however, we decided we might as well get one last look at the abandoned structures here before they’re renovated for good. So today we set out.
First stop was the Power Building. This was the most intact of all the remaining structures. Some equipment was left in piles just waiting to be taken to a recycler. The other buildings, I was less sure about. I know one was the laundry building. The others were too gutted to identify. There was an unexpected bonus here though. Tunnels! Indeed, tunnels connected all the buildings here at one time. And they continued on towards the main hospital building, which is now the Georgian Condos. The condo tunnels were, however, sealed by the time of our visit.
I remember City Hospital. I got an old old meter from that place back in 1998. Now it has been converted into lofts, and they are very expensive I think. Have you visited the old Gateway Community Hospital off of Martin Luther drive. I got the meters from this place back in 2008, as well as several pictures. It was torn down few yrs ago now.