2. Staten Island Farm Colony

The ruins of the Staten Island Farm Colony.Photo by Abandoned NYC

Throughout its history, the grounds of the Staten Island Farm Colony were often associated with society’s ‘unwanted’. The colonial farm era in the 19th century witnessed a bout of construction developments catered to housing the poor, infirm, mentally ill and developmentally disabled. Initially, the Farm Colony housed a collective of farmhouses that rehabilitated New York City’s aging poor, until they were replaced by the dormitory structures we see today. Not only where these facilities overcrowded, the employees and staff that worked on the Farm Colony were habitually intoxicated.

In November 2014, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved a plan to redevelop the Farm Colony into senior housing and retail.