3,485 Comments for Philadelphia State Hospital (Byberry)

Neuweiler,
you mean to tell me that you cant see the beauty in these pictures?? I think Motts is doing a service to every owner of any abandoned site he has taken pictures of. Please dont group everyone together . Open your eyes and enjoy

Looks awsome!

Shoot first ha ha thats right shoot some kids for wanting to explore.Unless someone is a threat to your life you have no right to take theirs.

I've got mixed feeling about the "tags" all over. On one hand the place is in ruins anyways. They will end up demolishing these buildings and putting up expensive housing.

It also emphasizes the neglect and the human tendency to close ones eyes to a shaded past. How could these vast buildings be left to rot? Its a shame and the debris and trash left behind proves to me that pushing these people out of hospitals was a rushed job.

Grant you, the dream of making a nuturing secure place for the mentally ill was a good one but it falls short. Anywhere you have a large amount of human beings in an institutional setting you will find cruelty and abuse.

Long story short.. the defacing of these buildings seems predictable. Its rebellious. The abandoned buildings represent institutions and getting lost in the red tape as well as falling short of good intentions. Welcome to the modern world.

this take me back to some good day at byberry

its like home again

Neuweiler, try putting up floodlights and fencing. That *shoot-first* bullshit is just that, bullshit. If you spent a mere fraction of your *restoration* costs on lighting and fencing, you wouldn't have these problems. A seven-dollar-an-hour guard might be a wise consideration as well. If it doesn't "appear" abandoned, folks won't break in.

Just as the name implies, I am buying the former Neuweiler Brewery in Allentown.

Neuweiler,
Respectfully speaking,
I can appreciate your comments. Please understand however, not all Urban Explorers deface, steal or defile while exploring.
Some merely want to take a few pictures, leave everything intact thus preserving history.
In most cases, there is a big difference between Urban Exploring and Vandalism.... While some do both, I assure you that is not the intention here.

Neuweiler, do you mind if I ask what sort of property you own? (ie. an old hospital, office building etc... )

I do apologize however for the "wide brush" with which I painted. I know some are just merely coming to take pictures and just observe, however the vandals seem to notice this and follow suit.

Why would one have to pay for around-the-clock security when after all there is not supposed to be someone in the building. Also, in regards to "forking over more money", I have a $30 milliion restoration and thanks to "urban explorers" (more along the vandal type) I now have to pay thousands on damage caused by people trying to get into the building. This is not even anywhere close to damages done by vandalism by removing historical architectural pieces.

Unfortunately my solution to security and 24-hour surveilance and most peoples are a little different. My idea is an 8 foot chain-link fence with razorwire on top with a shot first ask questions later security approach, especially where historical works of art (architecturally speaking) are concerned.

Motts,
in the 4th window frame (from the left)..... is that your reflection or is someone sitting there?

Tis true ... I guess I see thing's different them most whenever I went exploring, and it's been a while i never took anything or painted anything .. I guess being who I just could not bring myself to doing that

"I guess that some people think it's all fun and games to deface thing's that are left behind or to take them w/.o ever really caring .. sad if you ask me .."

hmm i see i big difference between defacing a item, compared to taking it and preserving it. its not sad at all when (for example) someone takes spoons out of a old sewer at byberry that have "Comm of Penna" stamped on the handle and in turns someday uses the item in a documentary of sort...

I guess that some people think it's all fun and games to deface thing's that are left behind or to take them w/.o ever really caring .. sad if you ask me ..

"I have had equipment stolen and had to make countless repairs because of so-called "urban explorers" such as yourself."

someone likes to paint with a wide brush! and no your equipment is not being stolen from people like motts, but if you really care about whatever it is you leave at locations, why don't you fork over more money for active security that walks around the insides of the buildings?!