April 1, 2008
Bellevue Plans to Go From Psychiatric to Luxe
Many have characterized New York City's real estate boom as insane, and this latest chapter adheres to that theme. The imposing and occasionally frightening-looking Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital on Manhattan's 1st Ave. may be transformed into a luxury hotel.
According to the NYC Economic Development Corporation and Health and Hospitals Corporation, the current building would make an excellent location for a hotel and conference center to serve the medical and life sciences industry that has clustered along the East Side.
Bellevue, a beautiful if rundown-looking Italian Renaissance-style building, was built in 1931 by architect Charles B. Meyers. Former residents include jazz musician Charlie Parker, author Norman Mailer, and actress Edie Sedgwick. It's not to be confused as a getaway retreat for celebrities, however, as former Bellevue doctor, who treated Mark David Chapman, told the Post, "Our patients were not normal New York neurotics, but very sick people - otherwise known as crazy."
While some critics question the timing of an institutional rehabilitation--hospital to hotel--given the state of the real estate market, proponents say that the long corridors and small rooms, over 400,000 square feet, make Bellevue ideal as a prospective hotel.
Image from part of Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, by malachie at flickr and a 1944 The New Yorker cover depicting the view from the hospital
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The idea sounds nice and will bring in more money into the city but more money is brought in the more money we will have to shell out.
There are so many developments being build or are being transformed into homes or business. More than 60% of those places are empty because there are no people paying that much money!!!
It needs a lot of facade work...I don't know if I'll ever think of that as luxurious. It's a good idea, sure. Especially for tourists.
Okay, now that is seriously creepy! Every time I would go by place as a kid it would scare me. I even get a little shudder from it now,
The building is beautiful but very forbidding given it's history IMHO.
Is there a reason Psychiatric is spelled incorrectly in the headline?
I call shenanigans!
And April Fool's.
MT, I'm with you. That place gives me the heebie jeebies when I pass it at night and wonder who's residing behind those few illuminated windows. I can't imagine getting a good night's sleep there; but perhaps I've seen too many movies.
Bellevue was designed by Meyers, but certainly not built by him.
anyone know who the artist was on that NY'er cover?
The artist is Christina Malman.
The artist was Christina Malman.
thank you very much.
I'd prefer it as a hotel then luxury condos, or being raized for a modern piece of blandism which housed condos.
The "Hotel Bellevue", why that's what some of my patients
known as revolving door types would refer
to their re- admission,if they were able at all to comment.