Engineering firm hired to evaluate iconic Building 93 at Kings Park Psychiatric Center site

A long-anticipated decision on whether to tear down an iconic 13-story tower at the former Kings Park Psychiatric Center will wait at least until next year as officials weigh alternatives, including finding a new use for the graffiti-covered former infirmary.

State parks officials this week announced Woodbury-based D&B Engineers and Architects has been tapped to lead a $2.9 million effort to "evaluate options" for Building 93, including razing the structure or refurbishing it for new, unspecified uses.

The building, built in 1939, has been vacant for 30 years since the century-old hospital closed in 1996.

The question of what to do with Building 93 has been a key factor in plans to redevelop the shuttered hospital grounds, now known as Nissequogue River State Park.

Since closing, the 312,480-square-foot building has been a popular draw for vandals and graffiti artists who have spray-painted interior and exterior sections of the tower. Security is stepped up every year around Halloween to ward off trespassers.

Community meetings are planned for next year, the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation said in a news release. It was not clear when officials will decide the building's fate.

In a statement, state parks Commissioner Kathy Moser said the study "will help address longstanding public safety and environmental hazards while fully exploring appropriate ways to preserve the site’s history."

“We look forward to hearing from the community and park stakeholders to ensure the future of this significant landmark [within] Nissequogue River State Park is addressed in a responsible and responsive manner.”

Ongoing parks transition 

The 521-acre state park is home to bird sanctuaries, marinas, ballfields, trails and expansive views of Long Island Sound. Dozens of vacant hospital buildings remain on the property.

A shuttered hospital building was demolished last month as part of a sewage treatment plant project.

A master plan adopted last year called for playgrounds, concession stands, a farmers market, botanical garden, a museum and redevelopment of York Hall, a closed theater, as a space for live performances and events.

The master plan lists demolition as the "preferred alternative" for Building 93 but does not rule out finding a new purpose for the building, state officials said.

In a news release, state parks officials said D&B will evaluate the costs of full or partial demolition as well as potential alternative uses. The firm also will assess the edifice's structural condition and safety and environmental issues. Asbestos and mold have been found in the building.

Debating the building's future

Building 93's future has divided some area residents and preservationists.

Cold Spring Harbor nonprofit Preservation Long Island listed the hospital in 2023 as an "endangered" historic site. 

Zachary Studenroth, the group's preservation director, said Thursday it was worth studying Building 93 to see if it was worth saving. But he said preservation would not be easy.

“Given the location [and] the scale of the building, this is a very, very difficult challenge,” he said.

Town of Smithtown officials in a statement Friday said public safety is their "primary concern," citing vandalism and suicide attempts at the former hospital. The town expressed no preference for or against demolition.

"While we understand the historic significance of Building 93, any discussion about its future must begin with how the state intends to make the property safe and secure," the town said.

John McQuaid, chairman and president of the Nissequogue River State Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to preserve and enhance the park, said Building 93 appears to be "too far gone" to be preserved. He said it should be torn down.

"It's very large, and it would take a lot of resources to repurpose it into something," McQuaid said in an interview Wednesday. "And the issue is that it's on state parkland. So what are you going to make out of it? Nobody wants to build a hotel there because it's state land. And you can't make it into a museum. We can't find a good option to repurpose it that is viable."

McQuaid added he would like to see a marker placed at the site noting the Kings Park Psychiatric Center's role in the community. 

Newsday's Jean-Paul Salamanca contributed to this story.