Abandoned Bronx Building Stays Graffiti-Covered
The graffiti-marked Thompson Building on Bronx Psychiatric Center grounds sits empty while its property transfer is delayed.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Property Crime
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The abandoned six-story Thompson Building on the Bronx Psychiatric Center grounds remains covered in graffiti as its property transfer to Simone Development Companies is delayed. Neighbors in Pelham Bay say the upper floors are visible from nearby streets and the buildings are easily accessible to vandals.
Why it matters
The 33-acre state-owned site is slated for redevelopment, but the delay leaves the vacant buildings exposed to vandalism and nearby residents without a clear timeline for change. Removing the graffiti alone is estimated to cost at least $100,000.
The property transfer to Simone Development Companies remains delayed after Empire State Development changed the project scope from all commercial to a mix of housing and commercial. The future of the Thompson and Parker buildings has not been determined.
The players
Empire State Development
New York State's economic development agency, which changed the project scope for the Bronx Psychiatric Center site and thereby delayed the property transfer.
Simone Development Companies
The developer slated to receive the state-owned property, whose transfer has been delayed.
Office of Mental Health
New York State agency responsible for the Bronx Psychiatric Center grounds, which did not respond to a request for comment.
The details
Sandi Unger filmed the Thompson and Parker buildings and found them wide open and easily accessible to vandalism. The proposed redevelopment would include affordable, market-rate and co-op housing, commercial space and a hotel.
Timeline
Bronx Times published its report on the Thompson Building graffiti and redevelopment delay on November 6, 2026.
Legal Context
The Thompson Building's delayed transfer follows Empire State Development's decision to shift the 33-acre Bronx Psychiatric Center site from an all-commercial plan to a mix of housing and commercial uses. The redevelopment of state-owned institutional land has repeatedly been slowed by scope changes and transfer timing.
Residents near Pelham Bay face continued exposure to vandalism from the vacant upper floors of the Thompson Building. Until the transfer is resolved, the graffiti and open access to the buildings are likely to remain a neighborhood concern.
The takeaway
Vacant state-owned buildings can remain open to vandalism for long stretches while redevelopment plans change, so residents affected by delays should track the property transfer and the eventual decision on demolition or reuse.
Further reading
Explore more Property Crime coverage from across New York City.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Bronx Times.
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