Building Razed to Create More Parking at St. Charles Hospital

Originally serving as a residence for unwed mothers in the 1960s, the building across from on Belle Terre Road fell into disrepair over the years and became the target of vandalism, creating an eyesore in the community.

Known for its crayon pillars, it used to house the Regina Residence, a Catholic Charities program. According to St. Charles Hospital spokeswoman Mary O'Hara, the residence for unwed mothers was not a program of Catholic Health Services of Long Island or St. Charles.

“Then it became the E&T Center (Evaluation and Treatment) for children with developmental disabilities,” she said in an email to Patch. “This E&T Center was not our program– it was an outside program – and was relocated to another space in 2003.”

Vacant since 2003, the building was described by O'Hara as being “beyond repair.”

“The decision was made to raze the building,” she said.

According to O'Hara, even though the services run out of the building were not St. Charles programs the hospital has always owned the property.

As of now, St. Charles has no plans to build on the site. A construction worker told Patch that he thought the grounds were going to be used as a parking lot after demolition was finished and O'Hara confirmed that.

“The property will be used for employee parking thus creating more parking spots on campus for patients,” she said.