Central State Hospital is being invested in today by a company hoping to transform three of the buildings into apartments, a conference room and a hotel, after previous threats of demolition. 

The Central State Hospital is known around the world for being the US’s largest psychiatric hospital in the mid-1900s. Since its abandonment, the state has long debated what to do with its remaining buildings. 

Its three historic buildings, the Walker, Jones and Green buildings, were originally set to be demolished. Now, Ambryo Designs has planned to invest $40 million to revamp the structures and preserve the hospital’s influential history. 

“The hospital makes GCSU unique from other schools,” said Simran Puri, a junior mass communication major. “It brings history to Milledgeville as it has been here for years.”

Central State Hospital’s history relates to its patient abuse and controversial lobotomy and electric shock therapy practices. The preservation of this hospital’s dark history would ultimately uphold the progress of community-based mental health care and prevent future incidents of the same nature. 

“The hospital is an ancient, historical building that offers a reflection of the past,” said Jackson Cruse, a junior nursing major. “It employed a large chunk of the population and it has a very storied legacy.” 

Historians and residents disagree with the idea of Central State Hospital’s demolition because of their desire to prevent historical malpractices and to educate others on its history. 

According to a Georgia Public Broadcasting article, “The planned demolition has prompted outcry from historic preservationists and local citizens, who argue with the local authority charged with transforming the property and the state agency’s plan to demolish the buildings. Preservationists argue that the hospital’s historical significance is too valuable to be destroyed.”

Chairman McMullen of the Central State Hospital Local Redevelopment Authority described Ambryo Designs’ plans for transformation with WGXA NEWS: The Green building will become a hotel and will be paired with a conference room and a ballroom for events, while the Jones and Walter buildings will be converted to apartment living. 

“I would have to agree with the preservationists about the significance of Central State Hospital,” said Eliza Exner, a junior public health major. “Places like this are a safe haven and are important for the mental health of the state.”

Ultimately, these changes would benefit the city long-term through public service advancements in sectors such as education and healthcare, initiatives that many residents find to be of great importance. 

“In renovating Central State Hospital, there would be economic advantages like job creation and improved public services in education and healthcare,” Exner said.

Revamping the institution would, in a way, cancel out the economic disparities that occurred after it closed. According to GCSU’s official website, the hospital served nearly 12,000 patients across 200 buildings. After its closure, remaining employees lost their jobs and patients were displaced, causing a decline in the local tax base. 

The reasoning behind these plans has always circled back to the importance of economic growth in Baldwin County. If these plans were to follow through, Milledgeville would most likely see an increase in employment opportunities, higher incomes and greater tax revenue. 

According to The Moonlit Road, a website that shares stories from the American South, “Central State hospital’s downsizing was a significant economic blow to the community…  numerous old asylums around the world suddenly became obsolete. So a worldwide movement began to rescue these asylum properties as everything from arts centers and offices to high-end condos.”

The state of Georgia instructed the CSHLRA to find economic development opportunities for the old hospital and rebranded the project to “Renaissance Park” for investment purposes. The plans for renovation are still in the finalization process and the construction timelines are yet to be publicised. Residents of Milledgeville and Georgia stakeholders are watching this process closely.

In the meantime, locals, students and visitors can learn about the significance of Central State Hospital and its dark history through a trolley tour with The Milledgeville Visitors Center. More information about the hospital and its events can be found through the Visit Milledgeville website.