However, only a couple of high priority areas were done and the rest of the hospital remained unconditioned. A decision to expand the scope of serviced counties occurred in 1972. At that time, Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital which handled Essex county was overcrowded and Marlboro started to receive patients from western Essex county. In January 1972, 150 patients began arriving to relieve the over crowding and facilitate the ability to expand Graystone Hospital. End of year patient population is shown in graph to right. A decision to close the hospital was made in 1995 by Governor Christine Todd Whitman; following a 1993 investigation by then State Senator Richard J. Codey, during which he went undercover at the hospital and found rampant patient abuse, wasteful spending, and other illegal practices. His report stated that he saw patients "were treated with less care than the average prisoner." The process was to start in 1996 and complete the process in three years. The goal was to place patients in community support homes. An initial plan was to provide a $450 a month stipend and "create 40 mobile outreach teams to provide therapy and help with housing, medication and daily living. The teams would include psychologists, nurses and mental health advocates who would be on call 24 hours a day". The hospital closed in 1998. The buildings were considered fireproof - the floors were of concrete covered by linoleum, and the walls and partitions were made of hollow tile. Asbestos was used on pipes and between floors to retard any fire outbreak, which became a significant issue during demolition. Tunnels were constructed between the buildings to facilitate movement of people and supplies between the structures in all types of weather. They were used to deliver equipment, food and the movement of patients and staff. In later years, showing their age, the tunnels were problematic. Low-hanging pipes often dropped dirt and other items. They were reported to be "dark, dirty and had a foul odor... there was urine and excrement on the floors". The tunnels were also the location of a number of suicides. In March of 1931, five buildings were completed to accommodate 500 patients. A few months later in June, a total of six buildings were completed and four more patient cottages were almost complete. The hospital was originally envisioned as being a "self contained community". Originally intended to house a population of 2000 patients; however, 3000 patients was reached in 1933. In 1937 funds from the WPA were used for a building, added to accommodate 650 additional patients. In 1939 three additional administrative buildings, silos, barns and some other out buildings were constructed.