By Peter X.
First, a couple of facts about telepaths that will aid in understanding why the haven building was built.
1) The vast majority of telepaths have low IQ’s (below average) when tested in isolation (telepathic abilities nullified). Thus they have difficulty performing day to day activities (making decisions) that involve only themselves. This low IQ is masked by the unconscious use of telepathy. Most telepaths come across as being highly intelligent because they can “borrow” from others around them.
2) Telepathic people are often extremely depressed. They are constantly bombarded with far more of the negative rather than the positive aspects of life. They also have the burden of knowing things about others and the world around them that would be better kept private.
I have some telepathic ability myself, and at first I planned to build an isolation area for myself. A place where I could be free of the thoughts of others. Then I got a less selfish idea of creating a haven for telepaths; since I was incredibly wealthy and had the financial resources in order to do so.
I managed to get built a small eight-story, 30 unit apartment building, surrounded by several layers of telepathic shielding. Part of the telepathic shielding consisted of two layers of iron signal devouring rods arranged in a grid around the building, including over the roof. With the iron devouring rods surrounding the building in a grid, it looked like scaffolding to many people and gave the building an unfinished look. I received numerous notifications from the city about completing the construction of the building, long after construction was complete.
Several renown telepaths moved into the building while it was still under construction. Including for example Emma Frost. Within a few months the building was full. I didn’t realize that there were so many fairly powerful telepaths. In order to rent an apartment in the building one had to be a telepathic person.
After running the building quite successfully for several years, sadly the army dismantled the telepathic shielding. By that point in time the building had begun to become a symbol of a haven for telepaths. The army claimed there was a shortage of materials, and the telepathic shielding materials were removed. Shortly following all the telepaths moved out to better locations. With the major feature of the building removed, I decided to sell the building at a small loss. Several years later I found out the building had been taken over by a drug lord. A sad ending to what had been a safe haven.
In retrospect, the building may have been a bad idea, and it was a good thing that the army removed the shielding. The area was becoming almost like a segregated population of telepaths. Segregation of populations generally being regarded as a poor idea.