Documenting Buffalo State Hospital

In September 2023, I documented the former Buffalo State Hospital during a workshop by Kirkbride Preservation Works. The Richardson Olmsted Complex, a National Historic Landmark since 1986, showcases the collaboration between architect H.H. Richardson and landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted in the late 1800s. The site pioneered mental health treatment with the Kirkbride Plan.

Originally known as the Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, the campus saw challenges, including demolition in the 1970s. Plans in 2013 transformed part of the campus into the acclaimed Hotel Henry. Despite a temporary closure in 2021 due to the pandemic, the hotel reopened in 2023 with new management. Today, now known as The Richardson Hotel, it offers 88 rooms across three Richardson-designed buildings, blending historic charm with modern amenities. The photos below are within the sections that have not seen new life.