End of life for Greystone

US contractor Northstar is currently in the process of demolishing the Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany, New Jersey, in a demolition and recycling contract reportedly worth €30 million (US$35 million). The Kirkbride building (pictured) began life in 1876 and was the major centre piece of the 26 building complex. With a footprint of 62,500 square metres (673,000 square feet), it was used to house thousands of patients following its opening as part of a major US initiative to encourage the humane treatment of the mentally ill. Efforts were made by a number of preservation groups to save the structure and find an alternative use, however these were deemed to require funding from the State of New Jersey to be viable and demolition was determined to be the most economic option.

Northstar plans to recycle 65% of the demolition debris from the project, which will be used as on site fill. In addition, elements of the Kirkbride building, including parts of the stone façade, columns and lamp posts, will be donated to Morris County. The project began in April 2015 and is scheduled for completion in early 2016. Once cleared, the state plans to turn over the remaining 165 acres of Greystone as open space to Morris County, who had previously obtained 300 acres of the original campus in 2003 that was used to establish Central Park of Morris County.