2015 was a rough year for NJ history lovers and explorers as well. Ten abandoned hospitals across the state were demolished, in the largest sweep in the history of the state. Here is a quick breakdown of each hospital.

Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital; Marlboro, Monmouth County.

Marlboro Psychiatric Hospital was the first state owned hospital demolished by New Jersey (aside from the Skillman center). Though demolition started in 2014, it was completed right before the demolition at Greystone began I dont have any photo's as my only trip to the facility was a major failure. However, here is a news article with some photos of the buildings.

http://www.nj.com/...spital_begins.html

Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital; Morris Plains, Morris County.

As most of you surely know by know, the biggest loss of all this year for New Jersey history lovers was the Greystone Hospital. I'm not going to go into any real detail here, as I've already discussed the topic ad nauseam. but you can read more here:

http://www.uer.ca/...=1&threadid=118595

Greystone Psychiatric Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Valley View Sanatorium (Preakness Hospital); Wayne, Passaic County.

The Preakness Hospital in Wayne was quickly and quietly demolished by the company who owned the buildings, Braen Stone. The building was originally the Passaic County Sanatorium, and was later a nursing home. It was built as a WPA project and designed by famed local architect Fred Wesley Wentworth.

Preakness Healthcare Center by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Preakness Healthcare Center by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Essex County Overbrook Hospital; Cedar Grove, Essex County.

The Overbrook Hospital closed in 2007, and has seen several rounds of demolition since that time. In 2015, the gorgeous, ornate firehouse was demolished. In addition, one of the buildings was recently set on fire and a fence was put up around the campus. Demolition on the main campus is projected to be completed next year.

Essex County Overbrook Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Essex County Overbrook Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Essex County Overbrook Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Irvington General Hospital; Irvington, Essex County.

Irvington General Hospital was a small hospital on the outskirts of Newark. Parts of the building date back to 1924. Demolition began on the tiny hospital at the end of the year, and is currently in progress. Though, considering how small the building is, it may be gone by the end of the week.

Chancellor Irving Community Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Chancellor Irving Community Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Newark United Hospital; Newark, Essex County

The Newark United hospital sat in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city. I made a number of attempts to get inside the building, however by November the entire complex was gone.

Newark United Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Newark United Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Genesis Eldercare; Lacey, Ocean County

This modern hospital was demolished early in the year. I attempted to visit the blighted building a few months back, only to find a barren field where the building once stood. There are no photos or news articles online that I can find. This one was definitely under the radar.

In addition to the demolition of these seven hospitals, three additional historic hospitals were saved and renovated.

Jersey City Medical Center; Jersey City, Hudson County.

The entire Jersey City Medical Center was renovated in pieces from 2010 through 2015. The campus had 2,000,000 square feet of abandoned Art Deco hospital space. This complex was on the National Register of Historic Places, and as such several of the lobbies, theaters, and other gorgeous architectural elements were painstakingly restored. This campus also holds the Hudson County Tuberculosis Sanatorium, commonly known as the B.S. Pollack Hospital.

Jersey City Medical Center by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Jersey City Medical Center by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Middlesex County Sanatorium; Edison, Middlesex County

The Middlesex County Sanatorium bares a strong resemblance to the Preakness Hospital in Passaic County. this one however, was renovated into senior housing. Being listed on the NRHP made demolition difficult, so the modern potions were razed and the original building will remain.

Middlesex County Sanatorium by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Middlesex County Sanatorium by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Essex County Isolation Hospital; Belleville, Essex County

The Essex County Isolation Hospital was a sister hospital to the Essex Mountain Sanatorium in Verona. Most of the campus was demolished years ago, but a few of the old brick buildings and the main building were renovated and spared from demolition. The beautiful main building was sold and is undergoing renovations into condominiums.

Isolation Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

Essex County Isolation Hospital by EsseXploreR, on Flickr

New Jersey lost twice as many historic hospitals as we saved this year alone. With demolition already on the horizon for three more hospitals in 2016, this is the beginning of a historic time
for New Jersey. This will be the period where a significant amount of our history was erased. Thanks for reading folks, I'll try and stay on top of as much of the demolition as I can, so that way at least future generations will be able to see what amazing buildings we used to have.

Thanks for reading folks.

I bet the UER Database will still show them as open, and "worth the trip" for another 10+ years..

Wow Ive really been gone awhile. It is sad to see Greystone go! I thought they had intended to preserve it?

Great round up. Well done.

This is a great post but such a shame to see all these places go. I'm thankful to have at least seen the exteriors of Greystone and Isolation. I will probably never come to terms with Overbrook going.

Wow, thanks for putting this together! Depressing to say the least...just glad I at least got to see a little bit of Overbrook. Still, awesome photos and write-up.

Marlboro was the first State Hospital I ever explored back when I was 17 or 18. We had to hide from cops for two hours in the woods while they were using a loudspeaker to try and scare us out. Anyways, I have my first explore there somewhere in my Hi8 8mm video storage box.

Greystone was the first Kirkbride I ever went inside of, with Matt and Lily White, it was all of our first time there and we may have been a bit drunk still when we stumbled in for a nice post dawn explore.

Essex was one of my absolute favorite places for a very long time. I still have a super soft spot for it. I will miss that a lot when that is gone.

I greatly enjoyed Preakness a few years back, which I thank you for as you had helped me out with that one.


Absolutely great write up and thank you for sharing these pictures. New Jersey was my favorite state to explore in for a while, it's sad to see a lot of them go.

Damn.

That was a beautiful firehouse. That should have been saved.
It was a keeper.

I didn't ask for these feels

What a shame. Beautiful buildings.

Posted by blackhawk That was a beautiful firehouse. That should have been saved. It was a keeper.

It sure fucking was!

Here's a shot of it from 2007.

Thanks everybody, it's good to know others are just as sad to lose these structures as I am.

Well, shit.

This was an interesting read, thanks for posting.

Hi Essexxy. This is a good writeup of a real loss. I guess Christie and his minions got sick of the ghosts...

What a nice firehouse too. History gone like it never was. Can't have good things when they might sell the land this cycle

Thanks again folks.

So much wasted opportunity

Thanks for making this list.

OMG, so glad all these "eyesores" are gone. Just kidding, lol.