This hospital opened in 1912, considered by many to be the finest hospital in the United States for the treatment of TB. The grounds consisted of eight patient buildings arranged in a semi-circle around the Administration Building, Kitchen and Dining Hall. There also was a Rehabilitation Center and a Children's Hospital. The hospital was designed to be a portrait of elegance: fine china, spotless silverware, cloth napkins in the kitchens….which were all quickly replaced with lower costing supplies when it was discovered it was impossible to maintain such extravagance. Each ward had a small library, record players, and a weekly dance hour, which became the most popular activity of the week. Children took field trips to a nearby beach approximately once a week, and Boy and Girl Scout troops were introduced.

In the year 1960 the doctors at the hospital made significant contributions to the development of a new class of drugs called isoniazids. These discoveries helped in the treatment and recovery of TB and as a result, there were less filled beds in the institution. It was obvious that the hospital was about to be shut down. 1973 brought a new Public Home Infirmary Care Building, and a new chapter began for the institution. Geriatric patients began to set up homes in some of the buildings.

The hospital continues to this day to be a premier establishment for affordable senior housing, but there are still many heavily guarded empty buildings on the campus. The capus was designated a New York City Landmark in 1985, but there have been no efforts made to preserve anything. This is an absolute tragedy, especially given the amazing ceramic murals some of the buildings possess.

Friends of Terra Cotta, a preservation group, are very concerned about the well-being of the murals and ornaments. Four buildings on the campus possess nearly life-size figures of children, nurses and physicians, surrounded by gold square tiles, garland, crests and sea shell tiles. Both the buildings and the terra cotta murals and ornament designs were creted by Architect Raymond F. Almirall, and the tiles were created in Delft, Holland by De Porceleyne Fles, later owned by Joose Thooft & Labouchere. It is the only remaining manufacturer of Delftware which has been in continuous operation since the year 1672. The haunting works have a disturbing look to them now, especially after decades of decay, but at the time of their completion they were meant to be uplifting and comforting. Unfortunately time has not been kind. Tiles have cracked and fallen off from water and weather damage, vandals have stolen entire figures clear off the wall. It’s heartbreaking to see these buildings sit, their works of art left to the hands of time.