Renwick Ruin

The Renwick Ruin AKA the old small pox hospital (and even later, a nurse training facility) is located at the southern end of Roosevelt Island (less than a 10 minute walk from the tram drop-​off point). It’s on the National Register of Historic Places, as well as being a NY City Landmark (the only ruin with this status!). Currently, you’re not able to go inside as it’s not structurally sound and there is a fence which surrounds it. Even so, a place for some really cool pictures and historical perspective. Most exciting is that the signage outside of fence indicates that there are talks to consider some additional renovations and possibly open it to the public in some capacity (keep your fingers crossed!!).
It’s also just outside where you enter the FDR Four Freedoms Park so it’s definitely worth the walk to the southern end of the island. I’d recommend walking along the trail from the tram, grabbing some pics of the midtown manhattan skyline along the way, and then checking out the Renwick Ruins before hitting up the FDR park at the very southern point of the island. In the summer months, there’s also a food truck just behind it where you can grab a drink or lunch.
The perfect stop for any ghost-​hunting, architecture-​loving, history and/​or photography buffs!

This was my first visit to Roosevelt Island since I left NYC and the southern part of Roosevelt has changed dramatically with the installation of Franklin Roosevelt Park. These ruins used to be the only reason to visit the southern island. I’m glad to see them still standing and being considered for long-​term development/​reuse.

At the southern tip of Roosevelt Island, there lies the ruins of what once was the Renwick Small Pox hospital. There is a placard explaining the history of the building. Unfortunately the building is no longer structurally sound so you can’t walk through it anymore. Wish you could! Wonder if it’s haunted… bet it is. I would totally recommend coming here. I would love to come back at night and see if you can see anything lurking… :)

I came to Roosevelt Island just to see this place (thinking to myself, «spooky haunted house adventure!» «take spooky photos!»), and would recommend skipping it for now.
As I mentioned in another review, the hospital is now neatly fenced up and scaffolded as part of restoration work. It is also right at the entrance to the Four Freedoms park. So if you’re looking for an eerie lonesome experience, I think the time for it has passed.
It looks like they’re attempting to open the site to the public eventually, so maybe once it’s finished and you’re allowed to go inside it, it will be more of a draw again.

Well well, what a pleasant surprise! Went to check out South Point Park in Roosevelt Island and while exploring the park, I run into this haunted house looking building. Turns out this building used to be a Small Pox Hospital that opened in 1856. A century later, the hospital closed and the building was abandoned and left in decay. However, in 1972, it was listed as one of National Register of Historic Places and designated a New York City landmark years later.
I really like the Gothic Revival architectural style which does add to its beauty and mysteriousness. I heard it’s lit at night which adds onto the eeriness of this building and heard it will be open to public soon after the stabilization project that is currently taking place. Can’t wait to return to this place when it’s open to public and check out the architecture!