There’s much to be said about downtown Pineville’s recent glow-up, with thriving new businesses and rehabbed historic buildings indicating a community on the move. But there are more and larger projects taking shape in Alexandria’s twin city, too. On a picturesque tract of lakeside land adjacent to downtown Pineville stands a cluster of overgrown buildings. Many are in a hazardous state of disrepair and beyond saving.
Out with the Old
This century-old site once housed the Central Louisiana State Hospital, a state-run psychiatric hospital that has stood abandoned since June, 2024, when the hospital relocated to new premises. The campus, which occupies scenic property overlooking Lake Buhlow, is owned by the state of Louisiana. The City of Pineville has been working to improve municipal infrastructure on the property, but a tangle of laws that restrict donation or undersale of state-owned property have made planning for the demolition of campus structures a challenging process. The city’s goal is to make the property “shovel-ready” for new developments, while preserving significant historic buildings from the original campus, including the Rose Cottage, the dairy barn, and a cemetery.
Photo credit: Josh Candiloro
Between downtown Pineville and the banks of Lake Buhlow, the former campus of Central Louisiana State Hospital is being demolished to make way for new development.
With hard work, the red tape is finally getting cut. The city has worked with the state legislature to secure millions of dollars in demolition funding—work that Pineville Mayor Joe Bishop anticipates will begin soon with the demolition of the hospital’s dormitory buildings. As a backup plan, Bishop has been collaborating with Senator John Kennedy to access funds at the Federal level; after Bishop made a visit to Washington, D.C. in May, Senator Kennedy forwarded a request for $2.5 million in demolition funding for the historic CLSH site to the Senate Appropriations Committee. It’s a lot of work, but Bishop notes, the site’s enormous potential makes the project worth the trouble. “We want it to not be a blighted area within our city,” he says.
Kayaking on Lake Buhlow near Pineville. Demolition of the former hospital buildings will increase recreational access to the lake for residents and visitors.
Potential and Possibility
Looking out across the former hospital site overlooking Lake Buhlow, it’s not hard to see the potential for the Pineville community. The Pineville Downtown Development District, which legally must act as the “realtor” for the state-owned land, has been courting investors and developers. Several parcels of property have already been sold — a Y-Not Stop gas station and a Hyundai dealership are open — and an office for a nursing home facility will soon begin construction. According to Mayor Bishop, there’s room for a lot more. “We're reaching out each and every day, talking to investors and hotels, convention centers, and restaurants,” he says.
Pineville is growing, and everyone is invited to take part. With good schools, a safe and welcoming downtown, top-notch municipal services, and scenic, rolling hills that impart a distinctive sense of place, this community offers the best of CenLa living. Learn more about Pineville at explorealexandriapineville.com.
