About the Irish Hospital Apartments
Irish hospital history
The Irish Hospital was built in the 1930s by Dr. Thomas Judson Irish in honor of his father, Dr. Harry Russell Irish. It was designed by architect Thorwald Thorson. The hospital closed in the late 1970s when a new hospital was built on the hill on the east side of town.
Modifications were made to accommodate the sheriff’s department, including installation of jail cells and a small addition on the west side and bullet-proof windows on the main floor. The west-side addition was removed during construction.
the renovation
Developer and owner Kristen Fish-Peterson has long held a passion for adaptive reuse of old buildings, particularly in downtowns. She was drawn to the project after meeting Forest City’s Economic Development Director, Beth Bilyeu who was seeking a developer for the project to prevent the building from being demolished.
Repairs & renovations
Roof replacement, new gutters, window replacement, electric and plumbing replacement, and storm water management were all part of the project. There was substantial reconstruction of hallways, and storage space will be readied for tenants in the basement. A brick entrance is featured on the front of the building.
New apartments include six one-bedroom units and two two-bedroom units. They will be furnished with appliances, including laundry washers and dryers. First floor units will be handicap adaptable. Each unit has a walk-in shower, large windows with wide window sills, beautiful quartz counter tops, microwave, fridge, stove/oven and dishwasher. Each unit also has its own hot water heater and separate electric meter.