Just an idea...

[s.fc90]

This is kinda random and all, but I was recently driving in New York City along Harlem River Drive and I looked to the left and saw an incredibly haunting building which is apparently The Roosvelt Island Smallpox Hospital.
In fashion with ESP and The Queen Mary haunts, 2 of which are top listed and well known, is there a reason why or why not this place hasn't been turned into a haunt of some kind? Because it's scary just looking at it. I think it'd be a great place for one. IDK, I just really felt like sharing that.

[screamshow]

The answer to most questions that begin with the word "why" is...


Money.

Let's say you had a million dollars to buy and build this into a hauint (and that this was enough). How many guests, over how many years, would it take to break even?

[TheNightMare]

Wow! What a beautiful scary building.

[Kevin Dells]

Judging from the picture it appears it has no roof in a few spots and no windows anywhere.
If needed im sure there are no fire sprinklers anywhere as well and if so how much to get it back and working?

Yes the building is incredible and would make a great haunt for the right person but as people stated this would be a very high dollar investment and msot people don't have that.

A smallpox hospital even,imagine the stroyline you could create with that!

[Brandon_K]

Another thing to consider is the condition of the building itself. What kind of stabilization will it need to be able to be used as an attraction? Don't forget, up until just a few years ago, you had to wear hard hats at ESP because it was essentially abandoned ruins. To my knowledge, the only way ESP is able to operate is due to them being a charitable organization and the donations they receive.

[Jim Warfield]

Imagine unlimited money to buy the place, unlimited money to fix it up, unlimited money to call Orkin's Vampire removal team...THEN the fun begins!!!!
Sticky traps on the upper flight deck would just be a feeble beginning.
Just placing a good image of this structure on tee-shirts you'd be selling might begin the process.
It has a nightmare old-scary feel to it allright, but can some places be too scary to attract enough customers?

[Brandon_K]

And after a little more research...

Here is an aerial shot. As you can see, the "building" is nothing more than some walls that are amazingly still standing. The roof is gone in it's entirety.

According to this article written in 1996, they estimated a cost of 3 million, just to stabilize the building. I'd guess to buy the property, building, stabilize, etc you're at 5 million easy.

A cool, very well shot photo blog about it.

From further reading, the building was completely abandoned by the 60's. There was one preservation attempt in 1975 that led to no where.

While the building is useless, it's still very cool looking and would make the basis for one hell of a facade.

[Brandon_K]

And one last thing.

Apparently the technical name is Renwick Smallpox Hospital. You'll get more search returns using that if you want to do more research.

[TheTalentedMrL]

I think you've convinced me to take a drive(train) down to NYC to go explore this fantastic looking ruin. Though it might make an amazing facade...opening...to a Haunted Attraction....It looks like it would take alot more money than its worth to get it up and running.

[MMManiac]

We have a similar place like that in Maribel, WI referred to as "Hotel Hell" Only the stone structure is up but it still looks awesome.

Sean

[Jim Warfield]

"Renwick"? Would a certain "Mr. Renfield" have started this institution?
The cafeterria serves 47 varietys of flys, prepared all different ways!
Is there someone climbing upside-down down the stone wall in the picture?
HAHAHAHA!

[s.fc90]

Hmmm...yes, stablizing it would cost a lot of money. But from looking at that arial shot, the inside is all/pretty much clear.

To make a haunt I think the walls need to be stable and then whatever is left on the inside needs to be cleared away. Mazes and indoor sections could then be built up inside. The arial shot also shows the property which has A LOT of room. There could be another haunt set up there too. So it would have a main one in the building and second one outside. There's also a lot of room for guest parking too.

Whenever, If ever, this building becomes stable that people can be around it (even though people already go around it), then I think setting up a haunt would be such a good idea!

The advertising for it would be great since its a small pox hospital, a ruin, on an island, and its NYs only official ruin. Possibilities with that property are endless. Plus, NYC doesn't have many haunts so it's also in a great attracting location with the city and northern Jersey.

[beardedbil]

I am pretty sure this building was shown on the intro to CSI:NY tonight. Very spooky looking, check it out if you recorded it.