Restoring a Connection to the Past

Once a part of Mayview State Hospital's farm, which was largely run by the hospital's psychiatric patients, this old stable looms ahead as visitors approach Upper St. Clair's recreation center from Mayview Road.


















Despite its age, the stable's facade maintains a quaint dignity.















Although some of the boarding is deteriorating, the stable's arched windows and deep red bricks increase the structure's aesthetic appeal.





















Ivy crawls up the side of the old stable; in the summer, its lush emerald complements the stable's scarlet bricks.















Old and new in tandem--the Mayview stable in the foreground, with the Upper St. Clair Township Recreation Center behind it.

















A single life form at the stable--isolation was once a key element of Mayview State Hospital and its working farm.















As visitors pass the Mayview stable and observe its exterior, they may connect to the lost era that it represents.








The new Upper St. Clair Recreation Center is the epitome of modern recreational facilities and is testament to the fact that this picturesque western Pennsylvania township is always looking toward the future. Every aspect of Upper St. Clair’s state-of-the-art community recreation center is absolutely pristine, from the glistening basketball court to the immaculate swimming pools. The building that houses these attractions is itself an impressive, crisp example of modern architecture. But right next door to the recreation center looms another structure, a quiet yet commanding building that was erected decades before the new recreation center was a figment of anyone’s imagination. Dating back to the 1940s or 1950s, this quaint structure once served as a cattle stable and was a working part of Pennsylvania’s Mayview State Hospital (opened in 1893). At one time, the patients of this well-known psychiatric hospital worked in the old stable that now resides next to the recreation center; the stable is thus a relic from a bygone age of isolated mental hospitals and primitive psychiatric practices. Although this old building is clearly historic, Upper St. Clair Township authorities have considered demolishing the structure, pointing out that its insides are probably unsafe and not conducive to frequent human entry. However, important benefits may come with restoring the building’s exterior—and allowing people to enjoy it from the outside--rather than destroying the structure altogether. Such recycling could aid the community by protecting the local environment, increasing the township’s aesthetic value, and providing residents with an opportunity to connect to the past.

By choosing to restore this old stable’s exterior instead of demolishing the whole building, Upper St. Clair Township could help to maintain a healthy local environment. Township authorities have already acknowledged that since the Mayview stable is so old, it may contain traces of building materials that are now known to be harmful. For instance, the building was almost certainly erected prior to the widespread discontinuation of lead paint sales, and it may very well contain traces of lead paint. Today, lead is associated with certain health risks; if the metal manages to accumulate in an organism’s bones or other tissues, it can act as a neurotoxin, damaging nervous connections and leading to various disorders. If the old Mayview stable does indeed contain lead paint, demolition of this building could harm local ecosystems by releasing substantial amounts of lead-contaminated dust and other debris into the environment. Such contaminants could prove to be dangerous if local residents (particularly humans) inadvertently ingest them.

However, the potential release of lead-contaminated debris is not the only hazard associated with demolishing the old Mayview stable. The stable’s age also gives rise to the possibility that the building contains a type of mineral called asbestos. Like lead, asbestos was once a popular building material; however, it has been identified as a carcinogen or cancer-causing agent. Inhalation of asbestos may result in lung cancer, asbestosis (a type of lung disease), or other serious health afflictions. As is the case with lead, demolition of the Mayview stable could release asbestos into the surrounding environment, threatening local inhabitants’ well being. By refraining from demolishing the old stable, Upper St. Clair Township could largely avoid these potential hazards. For this reason, reusing the stable and maintaining its place in the community would help to ensure a healthy local environment and would preserve Upper St. Clair as a safe, desirable place to live.

Preservation of the Mayview stable’s exterior would also add to Upper St. Clair’s aesthetic value. Although the stable is aged and is a little rough around the edges, it clearly remains an attractive building and still maintains an air of historic elegance. Vibrant red bricking adds to the building’s visual appeal, as do the various arched windows that characterize this old stable. In the summer, lush ivy creates splashes of green amongst the bricks’ ruddy hue and appears to reflect the quiet grace that age has bestowed on this building. The stable thus serves as a serene, historic counterbalance to the bustling recreation center next door. Old is juxtaposed with new, and the two seem to complement each other. Additionally, this large old stable (which could easily fit into a pastoral painting) helps to break up the suburban sprawl that has become prevalent in much of Upper St. Clair Township, adding a quaint dimension to the community. By restoring and recycling this building’s exterior, township authorities could perpetuate these positive qualities and could maintain the pleasant beauty that helps attract people to Upper St. Clair Township.

Moreover, the Mayview stable’s preservation would provide Upper St. Clair residents and visitors with a means of connecting to the past. This stable was once a part of the working farm that was largely operated by Mayview’s psychiatric patients. Such work was often a comfort to the patients, who frequently enjoyed the routine nature of the labor. In many cases, these excursions to the Mayview farm were their only means of leaving the hospital for an appreciable amount of time, for they lived in an age of isolated psychiatric hospitals and primitive mental health care. Antipsychotic medications had not yet emerged, and many techniques for treating perceived mental illness were unethical by today’s standards. Patients were often subdued by force in those days, and straightjackets were used liberally. Hot and cold compresses and steam cabinets were also common elements of treatment. With the December 2008 closing of Mayview State Hospital, the cattle stable next to the Upper St. Clair Township Recreation Center has become one of the last remaining local links to this era of psychiatric treatment. The preservation of this structure can therefore provide Upper St. Clair residents with a means of connecting to this time period; it may also help to increase their appreciation for modern medicine and health care.

Restoration of the Mayview stable’s exterior could benefit the Upper St. Clair community by maintaining a healthy local environment, by adding to the township’s aesthetic value, and by providing a link to local history. These benefits reflect the advantages of restoring, reusing, and recycling historic buildings rather than destroying them. Such recycling prevents contaminants associated with demolition and extensive construction from being released into the environment and helps to keep local inhabitants healthy. Additionally, these historic structures allow people to connect to the past and to learn from it. In these ways, restoration of historic buildings serves both human beings and the environment.