Visitor Asks What Should Be Done With The Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital Ruins, Keep It Protected Or Let It Go?

It should be preserved it’s part of the History of New York and Roosevelt Island. The thing that’s sad is that it has deteriorated over the years, and possibly not kept up.

No question, the ruins should come down as I wrote almost ten years ago. Instead of this inconsequential monument – only the middle section was architected by Renwick – space could be made for some useful, like a science center for example. Maintaining it requires lots of public money for nothing. The dirty little secret no one brings up in these discussions is that the ground under the old hospital is riddled with contaminated waste. When RIOC addressed the vast fields of waste when building out Southpoint, the smallpox hospital was not included. It reeks of poison. The sad thing is, though, we are stuck with this waste of space and money because of bad past judgments on historic designations that make the ruins permanently protected. You’re going to have to pay for this rubble until rains and other storms wipe it out. Roosevelt Islanders have no choice, as usual.

Totally disagree with David Stone. It is an architectural marvel of great historic importance and should be rehabilitated and preserved.

The Smallpox Hospital should be restored and preserved. It is a national landmark built by one of our great architects, James Renwick and has always been one of Roosevelt Island’s treasures. Islanders began asking for this even before the north wall collapsed years ago.