Fort Howard VA Damaged and Rotting
Photos
For nearly a decade, the Fort Howard Veterans Affairs Medical Center property has been used and abused by various people from near and far. Young people party there. Many kids and adults explore the spooky old buildings - some wanting to experience proof of the place being haunted. Thieves steal copper and other metals for selling to recyclers. Worst of all, destructive vandalism - by oodles of ignorant jackasses - is a consistent evil force wreaking havoc all through the place.
The VA has permitted: police swat team members to practice hostage rescue there, and I've heard stories of the cops blasting doors open; I have also heard that fire department personnel in training cut a huge hole in a beautiful antique hardwood floor; movie and television crews use the hospital building for film sets. But I've heard that the VA is not paid for any of those VA approved uses. I understand the good in allowing the police and fire departments to use - but they shouldn't abuse - the property for free. The wealthy movie and TV production companies, though, should pay rental fees - monies that can help the VA afford better care for American military veterans.
The property has been woefully neglected by the VA. Ever since the VA hospital there was closed in 2002, the VA hasn't done much maintenance work on the property. And although there is still a small medical clinic serving vets at Ft. Howard, many people believe the place to be abandoned property. That clinic has recently lost copper wiring to thieves, which cut off the clinic's phone and Internet access, even though that doctors' office is clearly in daily use by the VA.
I have created a set of "Ft. Howard VA Damaged and Rotting" photographs that clearly reveal how terrible it is there today. Plus, the photos show what great, historically significant and important buildings there are on the Ft. Howard VA property. Those superbly constructed, large, old wooden homes, seen in amongst my photographs, were built a century ago - by true craftsmen.
I have added a few of the photos to this blog post. Unfortunately, I can't add more, because, my current Internet connection doesn't upload files very well. But, if you go to my Flickr pages, you can view the full photo set of "Ft. Howard VA Damaged and Rotting".
Wendy Keller
9:28 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
This is disgraceful! I can't believe that this has been allowed to happen. What can be done to get the right people involved to bring this historic place back to where it needs to be?
Amelia Ryerse
8:44 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Yes what can we do as residents to help the retirement community for vets idea or reopen the hospital?
David Robert Crews
12:04 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
One thing everyone can do to help is to sign the online petition to save the Ft. Howard VAMC for veterans only.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-fort-howard/
Buzz Beeler
5:59 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
David, I've written quite a bit about this issue. It's not about the veterans but about the bottom line for the developer's.
The developer's were less than candid in their promise to inform the community on the infrastructure issues within 30 days. I attended the meeting that night back in June when the attorney's representing the developer's, Smith, Gildea & Schmidt made statements to the community indicating a report would be forthcoming. It never came even after attempts by the community to reach the developer's.
The next time the issue came to the attention of the community was a public notice published in the Sun.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-ft-howard-meeting-20111115,0,5980810.story
As of now, a planned meeting with the developer's and the county was postponed and yet to be rescheduled.
A great job on the photos and article.
David Robert Crews
12:40 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
I missed that meeting in June, but your input on how the developers and their attorneys have disrespected our community helps prove that any proposed development by them may be a bad idea. Their lack of communicating with us shows that they perceive little value in: the community's knowledge of the Ft. Howard area; knowledge of needed medical care for American military vets; or the input we give the developers and the VA about Ft. Howard.
Earlier this month, while taking photos of Ft. Howard, I encountered two of the developers on the VA property. They told me there was going to be a public meeting by the end of this month. That must be the meeting you say has been postponed. Fortunately, I had yet to write it anywhere that the meeting was going to happen. We - the community, developers, county, etc., need to meet and get this settled. So somebody can get something positive going for better health care services provided by the VA at Ft. Howard.
And it really, really bugs me that the developers are so intent on taking over Ft. Howard, they already have an office there, they say they're gonna spend millions on the development, but they don't do a darn thing to provide security for, and protection of, the property. The VA Police are only there on weekdays. Were it me going to spend such big bucks on the place, I'd be down there with a big dog and bright flashlight on most evenings, plus hire 3 or 4 armed security guards - 3 or 4 each on 2 shifts - to patrol the property.
David Robert Crews
12:14 pm on Friday, February 24, 2012
In March of 2006, I published an article I wrote about Fort Howard Veterans Affairs Medical Center. That article clearly tells how I (a former patient there), along with other veterans, the employees who worked there and the neighboring communities feel about the closed down Ft. Howard Veterans Hospital. The only thing different today - 6-yrs latter - is that in 2006 Federal Development LLC was the developer set to rebuild - over build - condos and retail space but today it is Ft. Howard Development LLC who is set to over build on Fort Howard. Here is a link to that widely read, and agreed with, article:
http://davidrobertcrews.blogspot.com/2007/02/decline-of-too-many-health-care.html
Brad Metheny
7:53 am on Sunday, February 26, 2012
All made possible by the creation of the PUD which as you all know allows developers to over build by circumventing Baltimore County zoning!
Buzz Beeler
9:59 pm on Sunday, February 26, 2012
Brad you are absolutely correct. I do think the community will rise up and attempt to stop this particular PUD based on its opposition to the current plans of the developers.
Sites like this are getting the word out. Remember it has to pass the rest of the council in order to be passed. There just may be enough community opposition to make it a bad political career move to vote on it. We shall see.
andrew g lowe
5:53 pm on Friday, July 6, 2012
I just saw the pictures I lived in fort howard from when I was 8 till 18 I was a volunteer there in 1974 when I was 16 its sad 2 c that place now