Today we head over to the abandoned Grace Hospital site. Many Windsorites came into the world at Grace Hospital, my Mother included back in 1946.
The photo above dates to 1920 and comes from the collection of John Stefani. Many thanks to John for scanning and sending along the photo.
Now to the former Hospital grounds. The house above caught fire and burned to the ground around 1920 IN 1960. In 1921 a new wing to Grace Hospital was built, and that is the old portion still visible. Additions were made in 1953 and 1964. Grace Hospital merged with Hotel-Dieu in the late 1990’s 2000, and closed around 1999-2000 (if someone has the correct dates, please let me know) in 1994 (thanks Lilly!). The building sits vacant with little hope of reuse, and slightly vandalized. The broken windows/exposure to the elements must be doing wonders for the structure of the 1921 building.
Another of Windsor’s Historic Buildings, completely disregarded and discarded.
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I was born there in 1969 and it sure is a shame seeing this building just sitting there rotting away. With the building and the land that comes with it , why can't they gut the building and convert it to apartments just like they have with other big buildings around the city ? Seems like a waste to just tear it down or leave it sit for that matter. I'm sure the internal structure is still pretty solid and all the asbesto's has been removed,so why not convert it.
Hey Andrew,
Im not sure of an exact date that the hospital closed but it was still in operation on September 6th, 2002 for sure because Dylan was born there that day. Hope that helps you out a little.
It is a shame! I live on oak street and i look at it everday! One day when it is gone i will have a pleasant view! They are taking everything out of there....seems to be taking forever...the back of the old bret building , they are taking out the windows and they put black garbage bags on them? wonder why? Many men are working on the site removing stuff, All the copper plumbing is out of there.. Guess it's worth something...There was a man who tried stealing it one time... he got caught...I went inside that building last year...wow what a mess!
The back door was opened and my husband was so curious we all went in.. and sooner that evening ..we got caught by 15 police men inside there! We got a fine for 70 bucks each...just 4 of us were in there.. Very scary dirty place! I feel bad that it is not a running hospital...i grew up on Crawford...Now as an adult bought a home across the street of this place! Can't seem to get out of the west end because i love it so much! I am not intrested in newer areas...I love old historic stuff and feel as i can live here forever...Thanks again Andrew Ps....Asbesto's might not all be removed yet.....I still see them guys wearing them suits...might be but it's a big place.....It will be strange to see it gone.....I keep thinking the breeze will come through my front bedroom window one day LOL!
Has the asbestos abatement been done? If so it had to have been prior to the hospital closing--because I don't recall work occuring there since the closure. I had assumed all along that asbestos abatement was one of the main reasons the building hadn't been reused.
Nikki, I guess it closed later than I guessed :) ....
JT, when I was there in December shooting these photos, there was definatley some work going on inside.
What a waste of urban space. I think the building is too far gone to be salvaged, but what about the land? Instead of taking valuable farmland and green space to build horrible McMansions in sprawling subdivisions, why not build thoughtful, well designed housing on this property? It's right in the city, right on bus routes, near the river - it could be awesome!
I always feel a little sad when driving past - my husband was born there and all 3 of my children. Those middle of the night trips to the ER with sick kids! Good times!
I was also born there...my father rarely passed by Grace without referring to it as the "baby farm".
It closed Feb1 2004................
More than just a "baby farm," Grace was home to a world class NICU in its final years. My best friend's son was born there and - like many other gravely ill newborns they helped - the little guy is fortunate to be alive and healthy today thanks to the advanced care that was provided in that otherwise dilapidated old building. I'm not sure what happened to that unit; I assume it migrated downtown to HDH and I hope it's still enjoying the same fine reputation.
Just looking at the state of the building itself is heart-wrenching.
I was born and pretty much grew up around the hospital, my late mother being a Grace nursing graduate who worked there until just before it closed. She was one of the first NICU nurses, signing on before the hospital had even allocated space for the unit.
The unit itself is actually at Metropolitan hospital now, and I believe it has been since about 2001.
I sincerely hope the building either meets a quick demise, or someone steps in to refurbish it. I can't stand even driving by the old building these days with the shape it's in.