Since its initial founding in 1736, Charity Hospital in New Orleans has been expanded and re-opened many times to make room for more patients. In 1939, construction of the hospital's sixth phase was completed. It was the second biggest hospital in the United States with approximately 2680 beds and cost $12 million to build (which equates to over $256 million in 2022). By 2004, Charity was serving over 100 thousand patients every year and was the oldest operating hospital in the United States.
When Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 28, 2005, water flooded Charity's basement, and it eventually reached past the first floor. Unfortunately, since the backup generators were located in the basement, power was lost quickly. After the storm, patients were being transported one by one until airlifts finally started five days later.
Apparently, there's some speculation as to whether or not Charity was actually unsalvageable. Allegedly, LSU (Charity's owner) permanently closed the very-much-salvageable building when it wasn't necessary in order to get FEMA to pay for a brand new facility. The battle between LSU and FEMA lasted for several years, but in 2010, it was decided that FEMA would pay $400 million to open a new hospital. This hospital, the University Medical Center New Orleans, was opened in 2015.
In recent news, as of November 2021, Tulane signed the lease as an anchor tenant. The $300 million redevelopment plan, projected to open in 2025, will occupy almost 350 thousand square feet of the building's total 1 million square feet; it will consist of apartments, retail space, and a medical research center.
Definitely a challenge getting into this one, especially considering it's now an active construction site! I'm glad to see a building with so much history and life left in it be put to good use, and I'm very happy to have been able to explore such an iconic location!
*photos taken August 10, 2022 - first one taken August 11*
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the only photo taken on my phone the next day and not with the disposable! (we lost light before I could get an outside shot the day we actually explored)
we did not turn around, and I still have SOME hope!
going out to the scaffolding...
on the scaffolding!
very convenient that they set up these lights for us to explore <3
the facilities department has seen better days...
RED...ROOM??
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