October 7th, 2008
Topeka Center Building in Danger
The future of the historic Center Building in Topeka, Kansas isn’t looking so good. This last remnant of the Topeka State Hospital Kirkbride is in danger of being torn down. The Topeka Unified School District is considering the purchase of the former state hospital grounds on which the building stands. If they do buy the property, many of the abandoned buildings on the property will be demolished, and the Kirkbride admin will very likely be among their number. While I’ve heard that this structure’s future hasn’t looked particularly hopeful even before now, I think this is the first indication of any real plans to knock it down.
It amazes me to think that those who are entrusted with the management of an area’s assets would leave magnificent buildings suitable for future use as institutions of higher learning or as yet not envisioned possibilities without repaired roofs. There is no surer way (besides the ravages of fire) to ensure that a building will suffer thorough damage than to leave gaping holes in it’s roof unrepaired, exposing the contents clear through to it’s basement exposed to water damage and inclement weather. Does no one consider the value of a building based upon the cost to recreate it, beautiful hand done stained glass and other artistic features included? I can’t imagine that anyone will look upon their proposed office park 120 years from now with the sadness and sense of loss that we do today when seeing yet another Kirkbride Building destroyed. And wouldn’t those boasting of “green” improvements earn far greater pride if they focused their energies upon instilling such features to whatever extent is ~currently~ possible in the existing buildings until more as yet unenvisioned opportunities can be employed on behalf of the property. Afterall, we have been entrusted with a gift of the best that our forefathers could create with the investment of so very many lifetimes of effort and sacrifice. Should we not respect what these beautiful buildings represent and pass them down along with their respect to the next generation? Or do you want your life’s greatest efforts to be reduced to rubble in favor of some developer and local politician’s concept of the next most opportunistic strip mall or office park in the short term?
Lauren,
While I agree 100% with what you said you do have to understand that for many people these building’s past uses creates quite a negative stigma and therefore a pessimistic outlook for their reuse. This further reduces the chances that these great historic buildings will be preserved or saved.
If these buldings have a stigma attached from the past, renovate and repurpose them. You can’t change history but you can learn from it – destroying great architecture won’t help anything!
I have to agree that these places are tainted with a negative stigma. They are stunning examples of architecture, but being tied to such ugly pasts make it pretty much impossible to reuse them for “nicer” uses. There’s thousands of tortured souls haunting those places, even if only through their historic pasts. Maybe even for real. As much as I’d love to see these saved, I love amazing, unique architecture, I see this an uphill battle. Good luck though!
Im so dissapointed to think that this building could be so easily forgotten….the lives lost there are at least a good enough reason to preserve and memorialize it…Its in my prayers
I am 20yr. old ever since i can remember my dad has been fasinated with that main building and it has caught my attention as well. I would love to have a chance to leagaly enter that building and recover an artifact from the past to keep in rememberance of such great construction..I think by tearing it down there will be great negative remorse from all the familys of the old patients and the souls of the ones who never made it out. please anyone with any real memories plz contact me n_lve_4sho@yahoo.com thank you.
Sadly, the Center Building on the former Topeka State Hospital grounds will be demolished on or before June 1, 2010. What an amazing piece of architecture that could’ve been saved if it had not been neglected for the past 13 years….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofcGndz7w_4
A montage of the inside of the building just recently done. The wrecking ball will claim it by the end of July. A shame, but Topeka is stupid when it comes to preserving it’s history so I am not surprised.