Original Children’s Hospital Building

[BB37]

Last week I learned that the old, original “Crippled Children’s Hospital” building is finally being demolished to make room for a new parking structure and pediatric behavioral care center. The old hospital building dates back to the 1920s. It sits between two newer buildings from the late 70s and has been largely vacant the last 10 years. Demolition has started on a smaller building in back of the hospital, but there’s a ton of asbestos abatement to be done on the old hospital building to be done before demolition starts.

[iMAX386]

Can someone post a map of which building you're talking about? Any details on the behavioral care center?

[BB37]

Here’s a photo of the original Crippled Children’s Hospital building at 940 NE 13th, as built. After DHS took it over in 1973 the front facade was radically remodeled, and two new buildings , Nicholson and Garrison towers, were built on the east and west ends of the original building.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

Thank goodness. I've been trapped in that building more times than I care to count. Blind hallways that deadend, stairwells to nowhere, elevators that only service prime numbered floors...

[bombermwc]

It's sad to see something that's historic like that go, but if it's as bad off as it sounds, then it sounds like enough of it has been re-done, re-worked, or left to crumble long enough that it's too far gone. Unfortunate.

I'll be darned if i can find it too. The address online shows Kelly/13th, but nothing near there looks anything like it.

[Jeepnokc]

It's sad to see something that's historic like that go, but if it's as bad off as it sounds, then it sounds like enough of it has been re-done, re-worked, or left to crumble long enough that it's too far gone. Unfortunate.

I'll be darned if i can find it too. The address online shows Kelly/13th, but nothing near there looks anything like it.

I had trouble also. I searched the address here in the thread and then went east one building on google maps. There is a building that is at 990 NE 13th that looks like it, It us the Beilstein Center if my guess is correct. Try googling 990 NE 13th Street. It does look different but the structure without the front looks the same. However....this is speculation on my part that this is the building

https://www.google.com/maps/place/99...37c249f033019e

[Martin]

I had trouble also. I searched the address here in the thread and then went east one building on google maps. There is a building that is at 990 NE 13th that looks like it, It us the Beilstein Center if my guess is correct. Try googling 990 NE 13th Street. It does look different but the structure without the front looks the same. However....this is speculation on my part that this is the building

https://www.google.com/maps/place/99...37c249f033019e

i was looking at this yesterday and came to the same conclusion... it seems as if that building has been added on to many, many times. here's my best guess as to where the original building exists within the current. hopefully this graphic comes through as bigger than a tiny postage stamp. : )

[HangryHippo]

From what I know of the current project, you two are spot on.

[BB37]

Correct. The original facade of the building was covered over in the 70s to make it blend in with the two newer buildings. After DHS took it over it was named for Dr. Charles Bielstein, one of the state’s first board certified pediatricians. The building hadn’t been used for inpatients in decades (safety codes), had low ceilings, exposed steam pipes, and is crawling with asbestos.

Demolition has already started on the back building, which was named for early day oilman Lew Wentz. The demolition has uncovered past uses of the building as a school for long term patients, and later as an operating theater where residents and students could watch surgeries. They even found an old elevator that had been abandoned in place and walled over. The last use of the Lew Wentz building was as a maintenance and carpentry shop.

[bombermwc]

Ah, well my previous comment on the historic nature just went down the toilet then. Now that makes me sad that the changes were made in the 70's. But too late on that one.