Saint Mary's Hospital

Introduction

St. Mary's Hospital, located at the intersection of St. Marks Avenue and Buffalo Avenue, was completed in 1979. It replaced a previous structure that housed St. Mary's hospital since the 1870s. The hospital served many in the community who lacked insurance, supported by the Roman Catholic church. After years of losses that were offset by St. Vincent's charitable organization, the hospital closed in 2005. It quickly succumbed to vandalism and became a local eyesore, although plans to re-open the facility as a nursing home have led to the building's preservation. This was the hospital that (now deceased) the rapper Biggie Smalls was born in on May 21, 1972

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information

• Brief history of the building
• Brooklyn Daily Eagle story on the former hospital
• NY Times Article on the closure of the hospital