Have you ever wondered what it would look like if an abandoned and oh-so creepy turn-of-the-century psychiatric center was remodeled into a sophisticated upscale hotel and conference center? No? Then you must not be from Buffalo, NY - where some rather ambitious folks have done just that. Last week I was lucky enough to get a chance to peek inside the newly restored Hotel Henry, courtesy of Instagrammers of Buffalo, who regularly schedules these types of awesome tours around town.
First, just a bit of history. The Buffalo State Asylum For The Insane was built by architect Henry Richardson in the 1880s in conjunction with landscape planner Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed Central Park in New York City. As mental health treatment changed over the years, the number of residents declined, and portions of the 42-acre psychiatric center were slowly shut down. The final residents of the building were relocated in the 1970s, and the building was eventually abandoned. Fast-forward almost 50 years later, and the center is now Hotel Henry, a thoroughly modern hotel and conference center complete with its own restaurant, 100 Acres.
