Construction began on the Wisconsin Memorial Hospital in the fall of 1921 with the two-story, brick main hospital building finished in early 1923. The facility was created for the treatment of mental illnesses of World War I veterans. The main building has been closed and vacant since 1994 and does not comply with fire code. In 2009, the state attempted to demolish the structure and had signed with a contractor to do so for $541,000. However, demolition plans were dropped following media coverage and claims that refurbishment could be done at little cost to the state. As of October 2010, renovation and demolition were both off the table for the vacant building. Refurbishment was estimated to cost over $6 million. As of 2014, Mendota Mental Health Institute still utilizes some of the cottages.