The empty
pavilion has a room filled with used shoes and a hall that has tree
branches growing inside the building. There is also an empty, decrepit
chapel that is creepy as they come.
Brooklyn Navy Yard Hospital
Completely
covered in white paint, the building is as beautiful as it is creepy.
Some of the windows are tinted blue, allowing a very eerie blue light to
shine in during the day. Very little furniture remains, but it is worth
a visit just for the beautiful architecture and ghostly vibes.
Beekman Palace
5 Beekman
Street was built in 1882 and is the earliest surviving “fireproof”
office building of the pre-skyscraper period. It features a gorgeous
atrium and cast iron details, mosaic floors, and spectacular views. It’s
hard to find any abandoned buildings in Manhattan, so this palace is a
hidden treasure. Apparently there are plans to renovate the building, so
you should get there before the real estate agents do!
Loew’s 46th Street Theatre
This abandoned
theatre originally opened in 1927 and still has that jazzy aura intact
in its architectural details underneath the rubble. The venue was
actually closed because the neighbors felt that the concerts were
causing too much noise. They must have never gone inside, because there
aren’t many theatres quite like it.
5pointz
In a country
where street art is still considered vandalism, 5pointz, the largest
graffiti exhibit in the world, is very special to the world of aerosol
artists. The owner of the abandoned factory lets people graffiti the
building for free in an effort to allow a creative space for artists
that are usually criminalized.
North Brother Island
North Brother
Island has been virtually untouched by humans since the sixties, when it
housed a functioning psychiatric hospital. Although people haven’t been
“vandalizing” and tinkering with the abandoned buildings, the island
truly is a sight to see. It truly gives you an impression of what the
rest of the world will look like once we all die from global warming or
an asteroid, or whatever else finally gets us. We highly recommend
checking it out, at your own risk, of course.
Gowanus’ Batcave
This ex-power
plant, which once served as a shelter for teenage recluses in the early
2000′s, is probably the most impressive abandoned building on this list.
There are bedrooms that are still intact with beer can candle holders,
and it’s hard to feel alone with the absurd amount of art that covers
the wall. Ignore the heroin needles on the floor and crude language on
the walls and it will be hard to not be moved by your surroundings. We’d
act quickly though, since a millionaire just recently bought the
building to transform it into an art space.
Fort Totten
Some may like
to call this abandoned military fort a “park,” but it mostly consists of
abandoned buildings covered with caution tape. While most of the rooms
in the empty facilities are empty, some still have old machinery and
untouched English projects.
Creedmoor State Hospital’s Building 25
It’s hard to say whether or not this building is actually worth exploring,
simply because the fourth floor is covered with a mountain range of
pigeon droppings. But what the abandoned psychiatric ward lacks in
breathable air is made up for with its visual stimuli. The overgrowth
over the windows gives a green light in some rooms and there are still
clothes and toys left from the seventies.
Grossinger’s Resort
What used to be
a resort for Jews who weren’t allowed to live in mainstream hotels in
the sixties is now an empty space with decrepit hair salons and
untouched flower pots. Each room has its own manifestation of green,
whether it is a layer of ferns growing out of the pool tiles, or a
literal carpet of moss in an abandoned hotel room. Sure, it’s not
technically in the city, but it’s a short, entirely worthwhile trip.
The Yonkers Power Station
This abandoned
power plant is cavernous and empty, which should be creepy. But if you
go during the day, you will be stunned by the beautiful lighting and
graffiti that it has to offer. If you are an artist, you should take
advantage of what this empty building has to offer, whether it is for
your photography or a music video.
