The Richardson Olmsted Complex
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The Richardson Olmsted Complex, the historic former mental hospital, was a partnership between noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and the father of landscape design Frederick Law Olmsted. It was a state of the art facility when it was built, incorporating the most modern ideas in psychiatric treatment by Dr. Thomas Kirkbride.
Internationally regarded as a treasure, the buildings and grounds will be rehabilitated as a civic campus of public and private activities. The Richardson Olmsted Complex Master Plan advances a plan for near and long term development of the historic buildings and grounds. A mixed use campus will start with a core set of integrated uses - Architecture Center, regional Visitor Center, boutique hotel and event/conference space in the iconic towers administration building and two flanking former wards.
Please visit our website at www.richardson-olmsted.com for more information on the plans and the three years of efforts to rehabilitate this historic site. Visitors are welcome on the grounds. Access to the buildings is a priority and the board is seeking ownership and making plans to enable interior tours.
Information provided by:
Monica Pellegrino Faix
Project Coordinator
Richardson Center Corporation
Wiki:
Coming Soon:
This is probably the most significant architectural masterpiece currently in Buffalo's built environment portfolio. The Administration Building in particular, built as a psychiatric center in 1870, is more readily identifiable than any other building in the region.
Now rigged with dramatic up-lighting, the two Gothic towers act as hopeful beacons for the future re-use and rehabilitation of the compound. Designed by American architect HH Richardson in a style that eventually became known as Richardsonian Romanesque.
Originally, the asylum grounds massed an astounding 203 acres. The property was landscaped by Olmsted and Calvert Vaux as a place where patients could retreat to what was termed 'Pleasure Grounds' and gardens. In time, much of the property was earmarked for Buffalo State College, which leaves today's acreage at 91.
After years of neglect and deterioration, crucial moneys have been secured to shore up the buildings and the grounds through state-of-the-arts stabilization measures. From the Richardson Center Corporation:
"Reuse of the property could include among other uses - a hotel, conference center, parking structure, high end condominiums, artist studios, townhouses and academic space for Buffalo State College.
"Perhaps most importantly, the creation of an Architecture and Visitor Center is already underway. The Center, located in the towers building, will support and encourage architectural tourism."
www.richardson-olmsted.com/
Richardson Olmsted Complex
400 Forest Avenue
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