The Hilltop Area was once home to the Columbus State Hospital for the Insane. Built in 1870, this hospital was a staple of the neighborhood and its impact has been felt ever since. Bordered by Broad St. to the south and Wheatland Ave. to the west, this site served as a gateway into the community. The style of this hospital was very similar to a hospital in Athens, Ohio, yet significantly larger. This building followed the Kirkbride Plan, a system established to provide "air and sunlight" in order to cure its patients. The building was closed in the 1980s, and subsequently torn down and replaced by offices of the Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio Department of Transportation. This hospital as well as the Columbus State Institute employed nearly 450 people, many of whom lived in Hilltop.