The “D” Building originally housed Eloise Administrative Offices and was a psychiatric facility until “O” Building was constructed. Lucky enough to survive the demolition of most of the Institutions buildings, it still stands today. It is now known as the Kay Beard Building. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, “D” was being renovated, housing the Department of Aging and other county offices, a small Eloise Museum, and many artifacts from what Eloise used to be.  It is now vacant, and the land has been recently sold, leaving the future of what remains of Eloise uncertain.

Building “D”

In 1931 it was decided to raze the Administrative Building, “A,” which stood to the west of “C” and between “C” and “E” Buildings. Building “A” had been contructed in 1888 and provided mental wards, a chapel, and the general administration offices for the Institution. This move was necessitated by the need to make room for a new Psychiatric Building which was completed in 1931 and originally named the New Administration and Hospital Building “A” (present “D” or Kay Beard Building).

The building and equipment cost a total of $960,265. This building was used to house the main administative offices of the Institution, the post office, and the admitting and treatment wards for the Psychiatric Division. It continued as the administration headquarters until 1962, when the new General Hospital Building, “O,” was opened and the offices were moved to the new building.

In 1972, the Psychiatric Division was established as a seperate hospital. “D” Building was to be allocated monies with capital improvement funds for its’ renovation to meet the standards of the State and the Joint Commission.

By November 2, 1977, the Board of Institutions directed that all admissions to the Psychiatric Hospital cease as of November 7; and finally, on December 1, 1979, the Psychiatric Hospital was closed with the transfer of all the remaining patients to State control. Building “D” was then leased to the State for this purpose.

On May 4, 1978, all buildings in the Psychiatric complex (Buildings “A,” “H,” “I,” “J,” “K,” “L,” and “M”) as well as all property south of Michigan Avenue were turned over to the jurisdiction of the Board of Auditors. “D” Building, leased in the interim bu the State, was returned to the Auditors on September 1, 1981, when the State transferred its patients from “D” to the Long Term Care building newly purchased from the County.

[ This information presented in whole from “A History of the Wayne County Infirmary, Psychiatric, and General Hospital Complex at Eloise, Michigan” by Alvin C. Clark; page 49 and 57. ]