I was actually at the old Renwick Smallpox Hospital on Roosevelt Island this past weekend and snapped a couple of shots of the facade of the building. The structure looks significantly more stable than the last time I encountered it, and it now has construction material and supports all throughout the building. The former smallpox hospital is currently going through a stabilization phase that will ensure its place in the National and State Archives of historical places and as a landmark in New York City.
Another thing that surprised me this past weekend as I was visiting the structure was that it is now incredibly easy to just walk straight in and see the place up close. The fence that leads into the lower portion of Roosevelt Island was open and several people were just in the construction zone admiring the aging structure. I’m not sure if it was a mistake or not, but it certainly was relatively easy to get close to.
If you want to know more about the restoration process, City Room actually posted a video today giving a short tour of the grounds where the hospital currently sits (the video is embedded below).
