Need advice on how to obtain permission for a shoot location

[TattooedAffliction]

Forgive me if I posted this is the wrong forum. I wasn't quite sure where it would fit in anywhere else.

The dilemma I'm faced with, is I want to shoot an abandoned hospital that was built in 1908 to help mentally challenged individuals; however, it was closed down in 1987 because of severe patient mistreatment.

I've read a lot about the history of this hospital, and I have such a fascination for it. I've been to this location before, and it is huge, not to mention a prime area to do a shoot. The problem is it is off limits for anyone to trespass on the grounds.

I've sent an email to the township that it's located in stating what I'd like to do. I said that one of my many passions as a photographer is to photograph historical locations that has a story to tell, and I want to bring that story to life in photographs. So far I have not heard anything back.

I'd like to know if any of you have had any similar experiences trying to gain permission to areas that are off limits, and how you went about doing it. Should I go as far as contacting the mayor of the township to see if he could be of some assistance?

[cdifoto]

Find out who the owner is and call them.

That's how I got to use an abandoned farm and a separate 2.5 million dollar estate for bridals.

[TattooedAffliction]

Find out who the owner is and call them.

That's how I got to use an abandoned farm and a separate 2.5 million dollar estate for bridals.

I believe it was a state run hospital, so I have no idea if it is owned by the state, township, or has since been sold to other private parties since it's closing.

How would you suggest I go about finding who the current owners are?

[cdifoto]

Go to the county courthouse and ask them how to look up the current ownership of a property. That's the easy way and it might cost you a fee (I've never actually done it before). Either they keep records of that stuff (land deeds and such) or can direct you to the exact office that does.

The way I found the owner of the farm house was to go to the fire hall nearby and find out if they knew who the owner was or how to find out. Took some legwork but it didn't cost me anything but time.

The estate was even easier. It was up for sale so I called the Realtor and he gave me the owner's information.

[TattooedAffliction]

Go to the county courthouse and ask them how to look up the current ownership of a property. That's the easy way and it might cost you a fee (I've never actually done it before).

The way I found the owner of the farm house was to go to the fire hall nearby and find out if they knew who the owner was or how to find out. Took some legwork but it didn't cost me anything but time.

The estate was even easier. It was up for sale so I called the Realtor and he gave me the owner's information.


Ok, I may have to do that if I don't hear anything back from the township. Thanks.

[gjl711]

You can try giving your local property assessors office and see who is paying taxes on the property. If that doesn't work I believe all land deeds are open to the public. Maybe a query to the department in charge of maintaining property deeds will lead to the owner.

[TattooedAffliction]

I did a Google search of who owns the hospital, and it does indeed appear to be state owned.

[advaitin]

I don't know about PA, but here in Florida, you can go to the county tax assessor's web site and locate property by owner or address.

[advaitin]

If state property, the only thing that they are afraid of is vandalism and liability. There will be a caretaker or responsible party. It's probably under the control of the state health dept.

[TattooedAffliction]

If state property, the only thing that they are afraid of is vandalism and liability. There will be a caretaker or responsible party. It's probably under the control of the state health dept.

More than likely. This is probably going to be one major headache to try and gain access to this.

[DennisW1]

Forgive me if I posted this is the wrong forum. I wasn't quite sure where it would fit in anywhere else.

The dilemma I'm faced with, is I want to shoot an abandoned hospital that was built in 1908 to help mentally challenged individuals; however, it was closed down in 1987 because of severe patient mistreatment.

I've read a lot about the history of this hospital, and I have such a fascination for it. I've been to this location before, and it is huge, not to mention a prime area to do a shoot. The problem is it is off limits for anyone to trespass on the grounds.

I've sent an email to the township that it's located in stating what I'd like to do. I said that one of my many passions as a photographer is to photograph historical locations that has a story to tell, and I want to bring that story to life in photographs. So far I have not heard anything back.

I'd like to know if any of you have had any similar experiences trying to gain permission to areas that are off limits, and how you went about doing it. Should I go as far as contacting the mayor of the township to see if he could be of some assistance?

Does the township own the property?

Often its difficult to get to the right person in a government office to help you. Most likely your request is sitting on some secretary's desk because they don't really know who to send it to.

If the township is indeed the owner of the property your best approach is most likely to be a personal one instead of by correspondence. The recorder of deeds should be able to tell you who the owner is. I'd try starting there.

[TattooedAffliction]

Does the township own the property?

Often its difficult to get to the right person in a government office to help you. Most likely your request is sitting on some secretary's desk because they don't really know who to send it to.

If the township is indeed the owner of the property your best approach is most likely to be a personal one instead of by correspondence. The recorder of deeds should be able to tell you who the owner is. I'd try starting there.

After doing some further reading, there is a Veterans Hospital on the grounds of the closed down hospital I want to photograph, and they apparently have security guards that patrol the area of the closed down hospital, so they may be the ones in control of the entire grounds. I'm going to send a letter to the person in charge of the of the Veterans Hospital, and see if that yields any results.

There's also a National Guard post on the location as well, so this is not going to be an easy thing to try and accomplish, haha.

If contacting the Veterans Hospital yields no results, I will definitely pay a visit to the township and try that approach.

If any of you are wondering exactly what it is I want to photograph, here is a link with information, and photo galleries from someone that I assume snuck onto the grounds: http://www.opacity.us/site30_pennhurst_state_school.htm

[cdifoto]

Phone calls work better than emails and letters. To use the farm house, I talked one on one with the CEO son of the founder of a major local-based corporation because he was the owner of the property. If I sent a letter it probably would have never made it past his secretary.

[TattooedAffliction]

Phone calls work better than emails and letters.

Good point. That's probably the better approach.

[breal101]

When I lived in Pa. not far from where you are, Dublin, the best way to get an a response was to go to the local county or state representative. It might be worth a try, a phone call or even better a personal visit often got results.

[TattooedAffliction]

When I lived in Pa. not far from where you are, Dublin, the best way to get an a response was to go to the local county or state representative. It might be worth a try, a phone call or even better a personal visit often got results.

That's probably what I'm going to have to do: go up the chain of command until I finally get someone that is willing to help with my request.

I found a news article about one particular state Senator of the district that the hospital in located in that has shown interest in converting the grounds of the hospital into a usable area for the public, so he might be the person I should talk to.

I'll lay out my plan for him of what I want to do, and tell him that I'm big into preserving history, and I want to photograph it before it gets demolished sometime in the future, so the history of the hospital can live on in photographs.

[TattooedAffliction]

I contacted the Senators office, and they turned out to be a huge help. They told me that that land is no longer owned by the state, and now privately owned by a group called Pennhurst Associates, and actually gave me the contact information for the owners. So, now I have to get in contact with them, and hopefully they will give me permission to do this.

[gjl711]

... So, now I have to get in contact with them, and hopefully they will give me permission to do this.
Sounds like progress is being made. :)

[TattooedAffliction]

Sounds like progress is being made. :)

Much more progress than I thought I could make happen in two days :)

Apparently this Senator also has a passion for the history of this hospital, because his office even directed me to the website of an organization that is trying to preserve this site as a historical landmark. He thought they be of some assistance as well.

[rklepper]

In Iowa we can go online and see who owns any property in the state at the assessors website.

[breal101]

Much more progress than I thought I could make happen in two days :)

Apparently this Senator also has a passion for the history of this hospital, because his office even directed me to the website of an organization that is trying to preserve this site as a historical landmark. He thought they be of some assistance as well.

It looks like you made a valuable contact right away, congratulations. I would proceed with a little caution in contacting the present property owner, the aims of preservationists and developers can be at odds with each other. If you contact them use the reasons for your interest just as you outlined in the beginning of this thread. Until you know that they have a similar interest to the preservationists it would be a good idea to play dumb on that subject. I'm not trying to tell you to be dishonest, that would be wrong. I'm just suggesting that you could get caught between competing interests if you're not careful in your approach. Best of luck to you, it sounds like a worthy and interesting project.

[RDKirk]

It looks like you made a valuable contact right away, congratulations. I would proceed with a little caution in contacting the present property owner, the aims of preservationists and developers can be at odds with each other. If you contact them use the reasons for your interest just as you outlined in the beginning of this thread. Until you know that they have a similar interest to the preservationists it would be a good idea to play dumb on that subject. I'm not trying to tell you to be dishonest, that would be wrong. I'm just suggesting that you could get caught between competing interests if you're not careful in your approach. Best of luck to you, it sounds like a worthy and interesting project.

Your advise is very wise. I strongly suspect that the owners of the property do not have any interest in preserving an infamous institution--no money in it for them. Having your property identified as a historical landmark can be an incredible hole in the pocketbook, unless you can turn it into a bed and breakfast.

But it could be proposed to them that having a proper photographic record would be a plank in a platform against having to preserve the structure itself.

[TattooedAffliction]

It looks like you made a valuable contact right away, congratulations. I would proceed with a little caution in contacting the present property owner, the aims of preservationists and developers can be at odds with each other. If you contact them use the reasons for your interest just as you outlined in the beginning of this thread. Until you know that they have a similar interest to the preservationists it would be a good idea to play dumb on that subject. I'm not trying to tell you to be dishonest, that would be wrong. I'm just suggesting that you could get caught between competing interests if you're not careful in your approach. Best of luck to you, it sounds like a worthy and interesting project.

Good advice, thank you. I had actually thought about that, and I'm not going to mention anything about preservation efforts. I'm just going to lay out my plans of what I want to do, and hopefully that will be enough for him to grant me permission.

I'm just debating if I want to call or send a well-worded letter with my contact information and hope he calls me. The phone number the Senator's office gave me I believe is his home phone number. I also have his home address; however, I just don't know if calling his home would be appropriate. I know some individuals can be annoyed when someone calls asking for something.

[breal101]

A letter might work out better, with all your contact info. If you didn't hear anything after a week or so you could always follow it up with a call.

[TattooedAffliction]

A letter might work out better, with all your contact info. If you didn't hear anything after a week or so you could always follow it up with a call.

Sounds good. That's what I'll do.