I'd been living in Hamilton Park for several years when St. Francis hospital was demolished, much of it thought not all, to make way for new condos. There was some talk in the community about the loss of important health-care services, but that talk went nowhere. Once the demolition started I decided to photograph the process.
I don't know just when demolition started, but my earlist photograph is dated November 7. It's not an interesting photo, just a document, so I didn't include it here. Nor do I know just when the demolition phase was complete and construction began. But I do think that construction, in part a reconstruction of structure than had not been totally demolished, had begun by the date of the last photo in this series, December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day).
November 15, 2006
November 21, 2006
November 24, 2006
November 26, 2006
November 27, 2006
November 28, 2006
December 7, 2006
I live in the part that was reconstructed, and love the thought of living in a former hospital. It seems to creep out some people, but I think of a hospital as a monument to the idea that we can live better through science.
ReplyDeleteThe giant letters in the Nov 15 pic were rearranged to spell "SWIM", and are now above the pool.
How'd they created the"M"and the "W"?
ReplyDeleteWow!! I can't believe it. That hospital has been a life saver to those who lived around it. My mother passed away at that hospital. What is happening?? Does any once care about wher3 they have to get there health services?
ReplyDeleteWhere to get health care is a GREAT PROBLEM for many in Jersey City.
ReplyDeleteWhile researching my ancestors I discovered that the three daughters of my ancestor, Eugene Bailly and his wife Florence, were in St. Francis Hospital at East Hamilton Place.
ReplyDeleteTheir parents were not listed with them. There were nearly 200 people listed there in the NJ State census of 1910.
Of the 94 entries 32 were nurses and 15 were employees, such as Maintenance men, ambulance drivers, clergymen and firemen. I'm assuming the other 47 were patients as no occupations were entered for them.
I attended St. Michael's H.S from 54 to 57. My father was the police captain at the 2nd precinct on 7th street during that time. Many fond memories.
ReplyDeleteI graduated from that nursing school in 1972
ReplyDeleteThe neighborhood's completely different since I took those photos. New apartment buildings on that ground. Can't imagine how much it's changed since you got your degree.
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