Gartloch Hospital: Administration Block, Gartloch Road, Gartloch

Part of a group of asylum buildings in French Renaissance style with Scottish Baronial details in red sandstone. Former Administration Block: 3-storey 13-bay symmetrical block with 2 imposing stair/water towers, single pile with corridor. Base course, ground floor band course, 1st floor cill course, 2nd floor cill band and eaves cornice. 2nd floor windows breaking eaves in mannered dormerheads with varied finials (eaves cornice serving as transom). Ashlar mullions and transoms.

The complex was built as the City of Glasgow District Asylum for pauper lunatics. Thomson and Sandilands won the competition for the design in 1889 and it was constructed between 1892-6. The important feature which was introduced at Gartloch for the first time in a new asylum in Scotland was the provision of an independent "hospital" section, distinct from the asylum section. This was for the treatment of medical cases, including infectious diseases. It included its own kitchen and dining hall. Another important feature of the hospital in the asylum section is the patient accommodation blocks which are in the form of "villas" linked to the service block and administration offices by enclosed link corridors. The link corridors were omitted in later asylums to create a true colony plan. The plan of Gartloch was highly influential in Britain and is still in an excellent state of preservation. An innovative feature of the hospital section was the U-plan front block with central administration offices flanked by observation and admission wards. This feature was adapted from the infectious diseases hospitals and was reproduced in later district asylums and the early mental deficiency hospitals. The other innovative feature in the hospital section is its kitchen and dining hall which made it entirely independent from the main asylum. The nurses home designed in 1898 (though dated 1895), was added to S of asylum complex and opened in 1900 to provide 60 beds for nursing staff, it closely resembles the villas in the asylum section(Historic Scotland)

2 April 1991: The Scotsman reports that the hospital is theatened with closure. August 1994: The Greater Glasgow Health Board reports that the hospital is being advertised for sale and a marketing brief has been prepared. A feasibility study by McGurn, Logan Duncan and Opfer has concluded that the principal land use should be residential. July 1996: The last hospital buildings are vacated. 31 March 1997: The Herald reports that the site was rejected by several developers due to its location, though a developer has now stepped forward. Rosehazel Ltd will apply for Planning Permission later this month. Profits from any new-build or subsequent land sale will be shared with the Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services Trust. 15 May 1997: The Glaswegian reports that Rosehazel hopes to convert the asylum block into 100 flats, with 250 houses built in the grounds. February 1998: Permissions are granted for the residential conversion of the listed hospital buildings, except for that of the new nurses' home. October 1999: Local planners report that a masterplan has been prepared for the entire site. 4 July 2001: The Glasgow Evening Times reports that Bellway Homes has applied to built 372 houses and 93 flats on the hospital site. The new nurses' home will be converted into luxury apartments with a roof terrace. Bishop Homes already has Planning Permission to convert most of the other buildings. The Greater Easterhouse Partnership has welcomed the plans as a boost to the local economy, although they will need to be agreed by Historic Scotland. 28 March 2003: The Glasgow East News reports that the new nurses' home is now threatened with demolition. 11 April 2003: The Glasgow East News reports that local residents have expressed concern at the fate of the buildings. Persimmon Homes may be interested in building 300 new flats on the site. December 2007: External inspection reveals the entire site is under redevelopment as "Gartoch Village". The Asylum block has been split into eight buildings by the removal of the interlinking sections. Four have already been converted into residential use. The central, towered section (formerly known as the Official Block and now as Caird House) and the North block (now Tolands House) are scheduled for conversion with an expected completion date of 2009. They are currently roofed shells. The rear section (now Stewart House) and the northeast section (now MacMurray House) remain empty with no timetable for conversion.

January 2009: External inspection finds the building is now a roofed shell. All windows and floors appear to have been lost. The balconies are in particularly poor condition and are supported by scaffolding poles.

January 2011: External inspection finds the building remains derelict. The walls are very damp, especially at the towers. There are large green patches in a number of areas, notably at the main entrance. The rear roof is losing slates. Plant growth was removed in September 2010.

5 January 2012: A member of the public advises the building remains much the same as the previous site visit.

20 November 2013: Local planners report the site remains At Risk.

26 March 2014: External inspection finds the building has been mothballed as a ruinous shell with no interior. The roof is in deteriorating condition.

30 August 2023: Desk-based assessment suggests the building remains disused. Roofs are thought to remain partly intact but in deteriorated condition. Condition moved to Very Poor from Ruinous.