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Kirk Courtyards

This beautifully abandoned location suffered a pretty devastating arson fire a few years ago. I knew whoever owned the property intended to demo it, but when I drove by late last year I was thrilled to discover that they were rebuilding the Kirkbride, the building I'm standing in to take this shot of the courtyard behind it. The Kirkbride was often a forward and central building for psychiatric asylums, including this one, with branching wings on either side for women and men to be kept separate in their wards. From this vantage point of the photograph, you can see the two wards, one on either side of the courtyard, the left-hand one partially burned from a previous fire over a decade ago. Though the campus is going to be turned into a large community center with supermarkets, daycares, and shopping, I am truly elated that the beautiful Kirkbride will be saved, if not the wards or the buildings beyond the Kirk's shadow. © 2013-Current.

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Uploaded on April 4, 2021
Taken on January 5, 2013