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I drive through Pilgrim State every day. I only see one person ever wandering the grounds and it's always the same person. He's probably homeless. I hear they are going to make it into a huge retail and office area. Look it up I know there are a ton of articles on it. Probably would increase your property value tremendously eventually.
Parts of the facility are still in use for mental health treatment I believe. Other parts are abandoned, and some have already been demolished and developed.
I know this is an old post, but I spent a semester of nursing school (in 2010) at Pilgrim. They still operate both inpatient and outpatient mental health services there. Yes the buildings are creepy, and yes the inpatient population is primarily those who are mentally ill and committed crimes (had a patient who killed his parents with an axe!), but I would never worry about them eloping. Mainly the outpatient population are mentally ill substance abusers, not so much violent crimes. The grounds are pretty well fenced, and for the most part, the patients want to be there because they would otherwise be homeless. that, and for the few times the well-behaved patients get to travel outside of their building, everything has a double barrier lock (fences and doors).
On the Brentwood side there are group homes which cater to the outpatient population, but again these aren't really violent offenders.
I wouldn't worry about the area the OP described, but I certainly wouldn't be headed for the Brentwood side, but that's for various other reasons...
My aunt used to work at Pilgrim and when we used to visit the place it totally creeped me out. Honestly, the only issue with Dix Hills is the occasional target of B&E's based on the money in the area but that goes with any upscale area.
I grew up in the area, and it was a wonderful place to live. In the 60's I can remember my aunt who lived on McNulty and Lauren saying she put a pot of coffee on one morning (quickly straightened up) returned to kitchen to find a patient sitting at her table wanting coffee and match books, so he could return to pilgrim and burn it down. He was totally harmless,and all the neighbors would give them wet match books if they ever were asked for them ( this is late 70s early 80s. I spent my teen years at the multiplex and working at Bobs Big Boy. I had a customer who was a patient there, and because he wasn't violent would have a day pass to go to the stores in the area, ( At Penn State, studying medicine someone slipped him some acid..... He never returned from it, and his family had to have him admitted. I was there early 80s and picketed out on Commack Rd when the state decided to put in a prison on the grounds of Pilgrim, do to community outcry the prison was closed in 3 months. Overall, Pilgrim has stood there in our community for nearly 100 years. The history and buildings are priceless. Dix Hills is an a wonderful place to raise a family. The ONLY problem in Dix Hills are the TAXES, NOT PILGRIM !
In the 60's I can remember my aunt who lived on McNulty and Lauren saying she put a pot of coffee on one morning (quickly straightened up) returned to kitchen to find a patient sitting at her table wanting coffee and match books, so he could return to pilgrim and burn it down.
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Pilgrim state
