Some 30 buildings on the 255-acre campus are being replaced, and a massive new structure is slated to break ground in 2026.
NORRISTOWN, PA — Lawmakers are working to envision the future of what remains of Norristown State Hospital, as the long-running hospital has seen changes in the focus of its mission and has new facilities slated to open next year. Several local officials recently participated in a tour of the expanding facilities and a roundtable as the hospital begins its next chapter.
While some of the state hospital grounds were sold to Norristown and are in the process of being developed into a massive new townhome community, some 255 acres of the hospital itself, which has been operating in some form since 1880, still remain.
“The staff at Norristown State Hospital is continuing the challenging work of helping patients receive the treatment they need,” said state Rep. Greg Scott, who organized the roundtable. “The tour helped lawmakers understand the progress we still need to make in behavioral health.”
As a forensic psychiatric hospital, the facility focuses on individuals with mental health issues who have been charged with crimes, are found not guilty due to insanity, are not competent to stand trail, and more. However, the hospital says they’re moving more toward a “recovery-oriented” design.
Around 30 of the aging buildings on campus are currently being replaced with modern facilities, and in 2026, the hospital will break ground on a massive new building to house the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Center.
Officials hope that building will last for a century. The current facility, which has 255 beds, includes two separate structures built in 1947 and 1965.
State Rep. Mike Schlossberg (Lehigh), who chairs the state House Mental Health Caucus, said the tour was “fascinating.”
“The staff at Norristown clearly are doing an excellent job of taking care of people who need it the most,” he said. “That being said, today’s tour highlighted the need for additional investments in mental health.”
Norristown State Hospital is one of only two forensic psychiatric hospitals in the state.
