World’s Most Expensive Abandoned Structures

Location: North Korea
Year: 1987
Cost: $750 million* 

We all know that hotel chains like Hilton have made fortunes from their never ending string of locations – but have you ever heard of the Ryugyong Hotel? The answer is most likely a resounding no. Construction on the 1,080 foot tall towering structure in Pyongyang, North Korea started back in 1987. 

Ryugyong Hotel, North Korea @Torsten Pursche / Shutterstock.com

Despite dropping over $750 million on the hotel, known as the 105 Building, developers never opened it. Work was halted in 1992 before the exterior was finished in 2011. Although plans were made for a partial opening in 2018, the insanely expensive hotel remains an empty vessel looming over the rest of the district. 

Will the Ryugyong Hotel ever be the place that developers wanted it to be, or is it just too late now for the tide to turn? Given how much money has been dropped on the project, it could be a losing game no matter what happens next.

Location: North Carolina
Year: 1970
Cost: $5 million*

There are fewer spots in the world more eerie than North Carolina’s abandoned theme park, Land of Oz. Based on the 1939 movie and the original novels, the resort was designed by Jack Pentes at a cost of $5 million. Over 44,000 bricks were glazed yellow to give theme park guests the ultimate Oz experience. 

Land of Oz @architecturaldigest.com/Pinterest.com

Disney’s Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher opened the park back in 1970, but by 1975 disaster had struck. A fire destroyed two buildings containing the lion’s share of equipment. After struggling on for a further 5 years, the park closed its doors in 1980 and lay to waste for the next 40 years. Some of the park was restored in 2019, with limited open days occurring throughout the year.

Now, visitors can walk through certain parts of the theme park on specific days annually to get a taste of what the park was like in its heyday. Although it has a long way to go, it’s good to see that Dorothy and her pals haven’t Toto-ly been forgotten…

Location: Rio de Janeiro
Year: 2014
Cost: $38 million*

When Rio de Janeiro won its bid for the 2016 Olympics, the city spared no expense in creating a world-class Aquatics Stadium for the swimming and water polo finals. After all, if you’re going to be featured on Comcast’s NBC Sports, you need to look sharp. $38 million went into constructing the venue, with work commencing in 2014. 

The Aquatics Stadium, Rio de Janeiro@Sufian Farrukh / Pinterest.com

The building took an enormous amount of capital and an enormous amount of work to complete. Although the government initially said they would repurpose the venue or at least salvage the pool for use elsewhere after 2016, it never happened. The entire structure lays abandoned and crumbling.

Sadly, this Olympic structure isn’t the only one of its kind across the world that has faced such a fate after the games have come and gone. Many different host cities have struggled to find uses for buildings erected for the games in the years following. 

Location: Taiwan
Year: 2010
Cost: $50 million+*

For over three decades, the San-Zhi Pod City in Taiwan, lay absolutely desolate and incomplete. Construction on the brightly colored, oddly UFO-shaped houses started back in 1978, when avante garde buildings were all the rage. Initially planned to be a vacation spot for U.S. military officers, the project was never finished. 

San-Zhi Pod City, Taiwan@Susannah Lois / Pinterest.com

A series of strange occurrences and accidents meant that by 1980 investors were losing money at a rapid rate. Instead of completing the project they left the site as it was and moved on. For years it became a popular destination for urban explorers, many of whom uploaded videos to Google’s YouTube. 

These videos showed the strange interior of the pods as little self-contained apartments complete with an open plan kitchen and living space, with a small bedroom leading just off to the side. Could this project have been successful if given half the chance? 

Location: Bulgaria
Year: 1981
Cost: $35 million (adjusted for inflation)*

The Buzludzha Monument has a complex past. It sits atop the Buzludzha Peak in central Bulgaria as a reminder of the Bulgarian Communist Party. Building first commenced in 1974 as designs created by Georgi Stoilov started to take shape. By 1981 it was finally finished, although it cost an eye-watering $35 million. 

Buzludzha Monument, Bulgaria @Milen Dobrev / Shutterstock.com

Many fine details including extensive mosaics that cover over 900 square meters are housed inside, but the monument has been abandoned since 1989. Weather, vandals, and other factors have all impacted what’s left of Stoilov’s impressive design. A project is currently underway to try and preserve what’s left. 

While the history surrounding the monument may prove divisive, the sheer scale and detail that went into the build is almost universally appreciated by architects. It’s state of disrepair is understandable, but also costly when it comes to repair work. 

Location: Hawaii
Year: 1953
Cost: $135 million*

When the fabulously luxurious Coco Palms Resort in Hawaii opened its doors in 1953, Hollywood immediately came knocking. {{NSE:Sony’s}] Columbia Pictures even filmed parts of Rita Hayworth’s Miss Sadie Thompson there not long after it opened.  

Coco Palms Resort, Hawaii @Vintagepix / Shutterstock.com

In its prime it was a $135 million paradise that kept visitors coming back again and again. Until one day in 1992 when it was suddenly devastated by a hurricane. In 2016 there were plans to inject Coco Palms with new investments to restore the resort to its former glory, but the deal fell through. Now, the once-pricey resort remains an abandoned ruin.  

Coco Palms also holds a special place in the hearts of Elvis fans. The King filmed Blue Hawaii there, with his character even tying the knot at the resort. To this day, people are still eager to visit the ruins and take a look around Elvis’ favorite bungalow. 

Location: Singapore
Year: 1932
Cost: $3.7 billion*

Close to the Singapore Botanic Gardens in Singapore lies an extensive palace known as Istana Woodneuk. First built in 1932, the impressive two-story building has a rich and complex history as a home for Sultan Ibrahim and his wife, Scottish-born Sultanah Helen. 

Istana Woodneuk, Singapore@Jiae Azad / Pinterest.com

In 1990 the government decided to purchase the estate of Tyersall Park as well as the house, but there was no restoration. Instead, the palace was just left to fall into ruin, despite being worth billions. In 2006 a huge fire ripped through the property leaving it dangerously derelict and, ultimately, beyond repair. 

Given just how much the property cost to build in the first place (an eye watering $3.7 billion including furnishings) it’s an extraordinarily sad story. Today, the palace remains an empty shell in a beautiful setting of lush greenery and unkempt gardens.  

Location: Houston
Year: 1962
Cost: $300 million*

At the time the NRG Astrodome was built back in 1962, responsibility for the project was largely  placed on the mayor of Houston, Roy Hofheinz. Hofheinz fully backed the idea of a modern stadium that could be multi-purposeful and draw in crowds. Ground was broken on the $300-million-dollar project in 1962. 

NRG Astrodome, Houston @davidderueda / Twitter.com

Three of Houston’s major sports teams called the venue home at some point throughout the Astrodome’s history. The stadium even helped shelter survivors of Hurricane Katrina, but by 2008 it began to close because of broken fire regulations. Now it lies empty, with some parts entirely demolished. Despite several different attempts, the Astrodome still hasn’t been saved.  

Instead, Houston and its various sports teams turned their focus to the NRG Stadium, formerly known as Reliant Stadium. This fancy new stadium with a retractable roof was built in 2000, ushering in a new era while making the astrodome look even older than it did already. 

Location: Turkey
Year 2014
Cost: $200 million*

Back in 2014 developers were breaking ground on Burj Al Babas, situated halfway between Istanbul and Ankara. The development of pristine, pearly white homes was supposed to lure in buyers wanting a vacation home in a picturesque spot. It should’ve been an easy return on a $200-million-dollar investment. Instead, it turned into an expensive waste of time and resources. 

The Burj Al Babas, Turkey @emasali stock / Shutterstock.com

The French-style homes look like miniature Disney castles, but when the company that was behind the project went bust in 2018, they were left unfinished. Although 587 of the buildings were completed, the future of the project remains in limbo as the once grandiose scheme tries to find a way to move forward. 

Ideally, developers would sell all of the units and finish the ones they have yet to complete. The alternative would be a demolition project that would likely cost more than the initial build. Let’s hope there’s a cost effective solution, for the sake of everyone involved. 

Location: Croatia
Year: 1971
Cost: $45 million*

When the Haludovo Palace Hotel opened its doors back in 1972, it didn’t take long to establish a reputation as the place to be for the jet-setting elite. The resort, which was so lavish it had a swimming pool full of Moet, was backed by Penthouse owner Bob Guccione. As a result, many wealthy Americans eagerly hopped on a United Airlines flight to what was then Yugoslavia to visit. 

The Haludovo Palace Hotel, Croatia @xbrchx / Shutterstock.com

Lush gardens, beautiful hostesses, a private casino, and constant caviar helped make the Haludovo Palace Hotel popular, but by the next year the casino went bust and closed. New management came in to try and salvage the rest of the hotel, but it was a losing game. Today, the structure remains closed as new investors plan to redevelop. 

It’s a tragic end for a place that was once the very definition of opulence for the wealthy upper middle class. The hotel later went on to become a shelter for the homeless during the Yugoslav War, so it’s history isn’t quite as cut and dry as it may seem.

Location: New York
Year: 1868
Cost: $14 million (adjusted for inflation)*

New York City might be known for huge, expensive structural attractions like the Empire State Building but not all of the state’s structures are flourishing. Along the Hudson close to Poughkeepsie is the infamous Hudson River State Hospital. 

Hudson River State Hospital, New York @Sherman Cahal / Shutterstock.com

Built in 1868 at a cost of $800,000 ($14 million in today’s money) the Victorian Gothic building was originally used as a psychiatric hospital. The sprawling facility is a sight to behold, but it hasn’t been home to any patients since 2003. After several fires major parts of the building have been damaged, but it is currently undergoing renovation to transform into a mixed-use project featuring offices, a hotel and apartments. 

The development is a welcome resolution for local residents who have had to watch the building decay year after year. With a bright future in sight, it won’t be long before the Hudson State River Hospital starts a new life as something else entirely.

Location: Detroit
Year: 1914
Cost: $15 million*

When the original Detroit train station was burned down in 1913, the local government needed to whip up a replacement. The result was a $15-million-dollar building set on West Vernor Highway. Towering above the city, the imposing structure was designed by the same people behind Grand Central. 

Michigan Central Station, Detroit @Matt Ragen / Shutterstock.com

As the need for such a huge train station declined, Michigan Central closed its doors for good in 1988. Ford Motor Company purchased the building in 2018, before unveiling plans to turn it into a working hub. Renovations are currently underway, after the building has lay dormant for over three decades.  

Ford will likely turn the historic location into a vibrant spot in Michigan, injecting it with some much needed capital. The building might look dejected now, but wait until the car manufacturer has worked its magic on it. Miracles can happen. 

Location: Marco Island, Florida
Year: 1979
Cost: $20 million+*

The Cape Romano Dome House looks like an alien structure left to float out to sea. Originally built by businessman Bob Lee in 1979, the interconnecting buildings were once on land. Each dome was made out of concrete and featured under-floor heating across its 2,400 square feet expanse. 

Cape Romano Dome House, Marco Island, Florida@Ralph Krugler / Shutterstock.com

The house remained lived in until 1992 when Hurricane Andrew destroyed the interior, leaving it unlivable. As a result, the Lee family moved out and didn’t return. The new buyer tried to save it by moving it to a new location inland, but it was too late. Now entirely in the sea, two of the domes have collapsed with the other four are terribly corroded. 

The Lee family have often talked about all the happy memories they experienced in the house, so it’s a shame that such a treasured location was left to slide. Had Hurricane Andrew not hit and the structure been placed slightly further ashore, perhaps the outcome would’ve been different. 

Location: New York
Year: 1962
Cost: $14 million*

Somewhere in Queens lies an intriguing spectacle: an oddly-shaped shell of a building that doesn’t exactly fit in with the modern world. Built back in 1962 for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the structure was designed by Philip Johnson and Richard Foster at a whopping cost of $14 million. 

New York State Pavilion @EarthScape ImageGraphy / Shutterstock.com

Made from concrete and steel, the New York State Pavilion was supposed to be repurposed. Instead, it became a mere background object for movies like Men in Black and Iron Man 2. It soon fell into a more dire state of disrepair until the NYC government finally agreed to restore it at the cost of $14 million. It’s expected to be completed in 2021. 

It isn’t clear what the Pavilion will be used for after restoration is completed, but it will likely emerge as a revamped event space that the area can be proud of. With so much money going into its makeover, let’s hope it’s looked after this time.