How close to creepy would you get?

While drooling over this house on MLS this morning, I looked it up on the Google Satellite map and noticed a big complex closeby.

I thought... Hmm... Wonder what that is? The regular map shows a train line leading right to it... All those buildings but no cars in the parking lots....

Then I remembered. It's the Kings Park Psychiatric Center.

I had been there once, dropping off a patient years ago and was creeped out by it. They actually did electric and insulin shock treatments there, as well as frontal lobotomies years ago.

I've been inside the Central Islip Psych Center too, for the same reason. Getting locked in there, waiting for my patient wasn't fun at all.

The house isn't that close, and the KPPC is now closed, but I was wondering... How close would you buy to something like an active psych center, or a cemetary, or any other creepy thing?

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

i guess i qualify for buying near "creepy".

i live in an area where there are MANY old homes ... circa 1877 or prior. there are also many old churches... many of which, have their own small cemetaries.

there's also a funeral home near me (which i use as a landmark when giving directions).

... but... the closest of these "creepy" places is .5 mile... so i guess it's not all that close.

oh, two houses i wanted to put a bid on were either across the street or next door to said "creepy" places... dh, vetoed my decision.

eta: i think the dead aren't as harmful as criminals.... WON'T BUY NEAR A PRISON!!!

Message edited 4/4/2007 2:08:40 PM.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

Well I grew up in KP right by the psych center. for me, it didnt make a difference. it was a little weird seeing all the patients around town but they were pretty harmless.

When I was a kid, a couple escaped from the criminally insane ward. I remember that all the kids were banned from leaving their houses. it was the summertime and it seemed like a ghost town. but they found them in the town over at mcdonalds the next day or so.

I really dont think it's a big deal to live near a psych center but i guess it's not ideal.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

that stuff doesn't bother me, in fact I would often go there just to photograph it. I thought the place was beautiful and shame that it became so run down. But FWIW, I do believe the KPPC is still partially active for out-patient services. They also use it for town services.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

I used to break in there when i was a teenager. We didn't vandalize it or anything like that- just walked arouind- exploring. We went all the way to the top floor of the big building once- and leaned out of this balcony- the view was unbeleivable.

But as for your question- I love it- I would buy one of the houses on the actual grounds if I could. And I would live next door to a cemetary in a heartbeat- as long as it was a real old cemetary. i wouldn't want to live next to one that is still actively burying people. that's too sad.

But i am not normal.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

It does creep me out a bid. Being raised in Smithtown and hanging out around KP I heard so many stories (some not true, some too true!!). I would be more concerned about land contamination rather than the creeps. They've tested the land there before and from what I've read in the Smithtown News, the results weren't always so positive (hence why the town didn't approve the building of homes or a college there). This is strickly from the Smithtown News

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

My parents live really close and it's not creepy at all. The perimeter is completely wooded and you can't see any building from their home.

FYI - That house isn't as close to the center as it looks on the map.

It's more than 10 blocks away.

The only place you can see the buildings from your home, is down by the bluff. Like this house:

By the bluff

ETA: I just realized you weren't asking about KP persay. But I have to defend my home turf

Message edited 4/4/2007 2:21:38 PM.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

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Re: How close to creepy would you get?

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

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Message edited 5/14/2007 9:13:00 AM.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

I've always held the belief that living next to a prison/psych ward and the like wouldn't be too bad, since IF there were any escapees, the last thing they'd want to do is hang around the neighborhood.

that being said, I agree with Naunie. it adds a certain old world (minus the vampires) charm. I don't mind it at all.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

the only thing creepy about KPP is that nobody really knows what will happen with that land. Its past history doesn't creep me out at all, its mysterious future does a little.
On the other hand if it were still used as a treatment center, I don't think I'd enjoy that. I have a cousin in Pilgram State & I'll be going there to pick him up so he can have dinner at my house on Easter....now that place is CREEPY.

As for cemetaries I find them beautiful & serene, not creepy at all. Maybe because I go to one to visit weekly. The stones & inscriptions are beautiful & filled with love. The flowers & grass are usually perfect. I think a cemetary would make a great neighbor.

I live very close to the Brookhaven national lab, which until very recently had a nuclear reactor in it....some people are creeped out by that kind of stuff.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

I guess since I grew up literally houses away from a cemetary (civil war era for the record) I don't think it would bother me too much to live near the KPPC. For me if it's out of sight it's out of mind. The place poses no real threat so I wouldn't sweat it.

The house is beautiful...my only problem with it, is that it's not in RP!!!

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

Cemetery? Well maybe I wouldn't want to live right next door, but close? I don't think I'd mind. I mean it's not like they can come after me

But jail/prision/psych center....eh...not liking the idea of living too close to one of those places. Just in case someone snuck out!

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

My friend lives right there and you fcan not see the psych center at all.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

I know people that live right off Juniper, as another poster said its not really that close to the actual grounds. It is a nice area and although the house is small, I think that's a good price for that block/development.

With regard to the future of the pscy center, that is up in the air. Although developers have been interested, my understanding is the cost of clean up was prohibitive and the community wants the property preserved for parkland and open space, not housing. Some has been deeded back to the town for this purpose. Now that Flanagan has secured 25 million for clean up the real question is how the picture will be changed. This property will now be much more attractive to developers. Initially, Cherokee Archer, was actively negoiating for the property and floating the concept of a "downtown" community, where cars weren't necessary and everything was accessible by foot. That didn't fly because the residents did not want a mixed use community.

That said from what I can see K.P., is a very tight knit community, my sister calls it Mayberry. I honestly can't see how anyone can lose money there and can only see property values increasing. I think to some extent it is still undiscovered.

By the way, I don't live in K.P., but live close by.

Message edited 4/9/2007 5:03:20 PM.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

I grew up in Kings Park and used to cut across the KPPC to get home when I was in middle school. As a teenager we used to sneak in there to scare ourselves. It is closed as said above and the surrounding parks and the bluff are beautiful. The schools are excellent and the town is cute.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

We were seriously considering buying a house on Juniper this summer. It's not all that close to the Psych Center...so it didn't bother me at all. I love that area. And part of the Center has been turned into a public park, which is always nice.

Re: How close to creepy would you get?

I grew up with a backyard looking at a cemetary. You weren't right up against it. But there was not doubt that you could see it from the yard. When I was little, my friends used to make a big deal about it. I really never thought about it. But my parents had a very difficult time selling their house and had to go more than $80K less than other houses that sold in the neighborhood due to it. At least, during this type of real estate market.