Planned transformation of former Willowbrook State School highlights commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, change

New York’s Staten Island — Soon, a structure that was once a home of horrors for people with developmental disabilities might become a national emblem of inclusion and advancement.

A proposal to turn Building 29 on the former Willowbrook State School property into a Center for Learning that will acknowledge the site’s historical significance was celebrated Wednesday by the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), local disability advocates, and elected officials. This proposal sparked significant changes in the way developmentally disabled people are housed and cared for nationwide.