In Traverse City the old state psychiatric hospital is being converted to upscale offices, chic stores, yuppie restaurants and trendy galleries. I went by yesterday to take a look. The complex is enormous, building after yellow brick building, three or four stories high, rows and rows of windows. The parts of it that have been completely updated are beautiful.
But many of the buildings are still in disrepair, and those buildings haunted me, their windows blank, watching me as I tried to absorb what it might have been like years before.
Porches allowed patients fresh air but were caged with wire mesh to keep the residents contained.
Barred windows, many now broken. The silence that seemed to scream.
There’s a sadness there that clings even to the freshly renovated buildings. I don’t think I could live in the condos on the upper floors; even with sunshine pouring down I felt as though I was trespassing on fragile souls. But it’s a good use of property and will be beautiful when it’s finished…
…though I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few ghosts floating around. So many lost souls, so many lost stories.
Change Is Hard 
April 1, 2010 at 3:15 pm
I just read about a hotel that’s in a converted insane asylum somewhere, and they play it up for the customers a bit. I don’t know whether the rooms are actually padded. I think I saw it in Sunset magazine.
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April 1, 2010 at 6:44 pm
That building reminds me of a school I used to work in. The school was in a former tuberculosis hospital. My classroom was the old solarium, so it was nice and sunny. I used to picture people in wheelchairs sitting there, enjoying the view of the woods. The walls were filled with peeling paint and water damage. The heating system old and loud. They’ve since built a brand new school. I’m not sure what they use the old hospital for. Probably offices.
It was that same color yellow and looks like the same era. Maybe the yellow was thought to be a soothing color?
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April 1, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Ellen, one of the stores in the complex is called “Sweet Asylum.” And I think one of the buildings is going to become a fancy hotel. I’d like to walk through the un-renovated buildings, just to see what it was like.
Sara, what an experience. At least you worked in a sunlit room! We had an asylum in the town I grew up in but I can’t remember what color it was.
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April 2, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Many years ago I drove around the buildings before any renovations were even thought of for this area. I felt a cloud hanging over the property and a feeling of depression. I felt as if some poor souls were staring out the windows at us who were free to wander around outside.
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April 3, 2010 at 11:02 am
I remember seeing this state hospital! It gave me the shivers as we drove by. Barry’s grandpa was in a nursing home nearby, I think. The rennovated place would be cool to see.
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April 3, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Still gives shivers, Kathy, even the parts that are renovated.
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April 10, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Dawn, I agree. I really like what’s happening there–did you see the bread bakery or the Higher Grounds coffee place, Stella’s? But I could not live there. I bought a book that has pix & stories of the old place–will loan it to you if you didn’t find it while here.
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April 11, 2010 at 7:42 am
Karen, I bought some bread at the bakery place, saw Stella’s and the coffee place as well, but didn’t purchase. Would love to read the book!
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