September 24, 2006
Ellis Island to open historic ferry building in winter
 Since Ellis Island opened to the public in 1990, more than half the island has been off-limits, mostly left to decay since it closed as an immigration center in 1954. But come February, that's going to start changing.
That's the targeted opening date for the restored 1930s-era "new" ferry building, according to Judy McAlpin, the president of the non-profit Save Ellis Island.
And within 12 to 15 months, McAlpin said, the public will also get access to two portions of the Ellis Island Hospital -- the laundry/hospital outbuilding and the Y-section of the red-bricked and windowed hallway that connects the entire hospital. Eventually, the morgue, operating room, powerhouse, laundry room and one of the contagious wards will also open to the public, she said.
 While 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis between 1892 and 1954, 10 percent also spent time in its hospital complex, built on the south side of the island in 1902. In all, 30 buildings on Ellis are currently off-limits to the public, mostly abandoned and unsafe. Broken glass, rust, and dust pervade many of the rooms, all mostly empty save for industrial-size equipment from generations past.
On Saturday, about 100 people got a rare look inside the contagious disease wards, an operating room, a kitchen, the laundry, doctors' quarters and other areas of the long-abandoned buildings on a special tour coordinated by Save Ellis Island, the Historic Districts Council and the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen.
 The ferry building, built in the 1930s with federal Works Progress Administration funds during the Depression, has a central pavilion and copper-covered cupola. When complete, the ferry building will be filled with exhibits and original furniture, including a grand wooden bench already moved to an adjacent, unfinished room.
Plans call for the hospital complex to eventually host public program and house a conference center focused on immigration and public health, with some overnight facilities. Save Ellis Island's restoration and adaptive reuse project is funded by grants and donations, and more is always needed.
 Saturday's tour was only the second time the hospital has been open for any type of public access. The first time came last year during Open House New York. It will be on OHNY again this year, on October 7 and 8, but it's unclear if the tour will be of the hospital grounds only. The other possible way to get on a tour is to become a member of Save Ellis Island, which may be able to offer members-only tours in the future.
More pictures after the jump, and on the SEI website.
Earlier: Rock Center roof garden, cheese caves on OHNY
Open House sneak preview: Federal Hall, Chrysler
Ellis Island gets closer to opening Ferry Building
Exploring secret Ellis Island during Open House NY
Shuttered Ellis Island buildings could open to public
NewYorkology Basics: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
September 24, 2006 11:13 PM in Architecture, Downtown, History, Museums, Out of Manhattan, Sightsology, Tours
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