140-635: Morningside Heights is a neighborhood on the West Side of Upper Manhattan in New York City . It is bounded by Morningside Drive to the east, 125th Street to the north, 110th Street to the south, and Riverside Drive to the west. Morningside Heights borders Central Harlem and Morningside Park to the east, Manhattanville to the north, the Manhattan Valley section of the Upper West Side to
280-427: A building owned by Columbia. In the subsequent years, new building codes resulted in the removal of decorative elements on many buildings in the neighborhood. The residential community of Morningside Heights remained centered around the neighboring institutions, and was relatively safe compared to nearby neighborhoods, though many residents stayed away from Morningside Park. A 1982 Times article mentioned that Broadway
420-558: A chapel on 128th Street in 2005. Many of the area's churches are " storefront churches ", which operate in an empty store, or a basement, or a converted brownstone townhouse. These congregations may have fewer than 30–50 members each, but there are hundreds of them. Others are old, large, and designated landmarks. Especially in the years before World War II, Harlem produced popular Christian charismatic "cult" leaders, including George Wilson Becton and Father Divine . Mosques in Harlem include
560-655: A city landmark, was rebuilt in 1894–1895, replacing an earlier gatehouse in the middle of the road. The aqueduct continued to carry water until 1955. The 119th Street gatehouse was used until 1990; it then sat abandoned for several decades before being proposed for commercial use in 2018. [REDACTED] In 2017, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission created the Morningside Heights Historic District . The district had first been proposed in 1996; however, Columbia
700-578: A decline in the neighborhood, especially after World War II , when many well-off white residents left for the suburbs, to be replaced by poor African American and Puerto Rican residents. Many of the once-opulent apartment buildings declined in quality. In a sign of the social tensions that had developed in Morningside Heights, in 1958, The New York Times reported that midshipmen of the United States Navy studying at Columbia were forbidden from
840-450: A deep level alignment, with the water being pushed through high-pressure open siphons at each end of the valley. Several gatehouses were built at Amsterdam Avenue and 113th, 119th, 134th–135th, and 142nd Streets, so that pipes could be installed when the aqueduct system was expanded in the future. The gatehouse at 113th Street was built in 1870 and rebuilt in 1890; it serves as an adult daycare center as of 2010. The gatehouse at 119th Street,
980-594: A dormitory on Claremont Avenue erected in 1931–1932. Two musical institutions, the Institute of Musical Art and the Juilliard School (which later merged), settled immediately north of the Union Theological Seminary. The Institute of Musical Art constructed its building within 21 weeks in 1910 and had its first classes that same year. The Juilliard building was completed in 1931. The final structure to be built
1120-428: A few buildings. More prolific Jewish developers in Morningside Heights created companies that either carried their family names or had more generic names that hid their family's background. Such developers included Carlyle Realty, B. Crystal & Son, and Carnegie Construction. According to Andrew Dolkart , architectural historian at Columbia University, more than half of the early apartment housing in Morningside Heights
1260-499: A never-built large plaza that would have flanked Riverside Drive. Another notable apartment building is the Hendrik Hudson on Riverside Drive between 110th and 111th Streets, proposed as a hotel but ultimately constructed as a residential building. The northern part of the neighborhood is dominated by two residential complexes: Grant Houses and Morningside Gardens. Grant Houses, a public-housing development composed of ten buildings,
1400-495: A proposal to rezone a 15-block portion of Morningside Heights; if implemented, it would be the neighborhood's first rezoning in six decades. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Morningside Heights was 55,929, an increase of 1,721 (3.2%) from the 54,208 counted in the 2000 Census . Covering an area of 465.11 acres (188.22 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 120.2 inhabitants per acre (76,900/sq mi; 29,700/km). The racial makeup of
1540-471: A significant change in the neighborhood's character, and was dubbed by the Real Estate Record and Guide as "the largest single factor [...] in promoting private real estate and building activity on the plateau". Just across Broadway to the west was the campus of Barnard College, a women's college . In 1895, philanthropist Elizabeth Milbank Anderson donated funds on the condition that Charles A. Rich
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#17328442716401680-633: A site in suburban Westchester County in 1888, followed by the Leake and Watts Asylum three years later. Their respective campuses were purchased by Columbia University, which could not expand their existing campus at the present site of Rockefeller Center in Midtown Manhattan ; and the Episcopal Diocese of New York , which had been looking for sites to build their main cathedral, the Cathedral of St. John
1820-589: A split between the two main groups that inhabited Morningside Heights—those who were affiliated with institutions and those who were not—setting up conflicts between the two demographic groups. As a response to the Great Depression , many of the apartments had been subdivided into smaller units, with residents frequently dividing their apartments or taking in boarders, or owners converting their buildings to single room occupancy (SRO) hotels. The increasing prevalence of SROs led to attendant socioeconomic problems and
1960-411: A start at the school. By the 2010s, new dining hotspots were opening in Harlem around Frederick Douglass Boulevard. At the same time, some residents fought back against the powerful waves of gentrification the neighborhood is experiencing. In 2013, residents staged a sidewalk sit-in to protest a five-days-a-week farmers market that would shut down Macombs Place at 150th Street. Uptown Night Market
2100-604: Is 51% in Community District 9, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018, Community District 9 is considered to be gentrifying : according to the Community Health Profile, the district was low-income in 1990 and has seen above-median rent growth up to 2010. Morningside Heights is located in Upper Manhattan , bounded by Morningside Park to
2240-402: Is about the same as the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most residents are children and middle-aged adults: 34% are between the ages of 25 and 44, while 21% are between 45 and 64, and 17% are between 0 and 17. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 16% and 12% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 9
2380-462: Is also listed on the NRHP. Additionally, the Union Theological Seminary complex is listed on the NRHP, and parts of the structure are also a city-designated landmark. There are several traces of the old Croton Aqueduct 's path through Morningside Heights, specifically under Amsterdam Avenue. Due to the presence of the 125th Street valley at the northern border of the neighborhood, the aqueduct descended into
2520-549: Is also the birthplace of popular hip-hop dances such as the Harlem shake , toe wop, and Chicken Noodle Soup . Harlem's classical music birthed organizations and chamber ensembles such as Roberta Guaspari 's Opus 118, Harlem Chamber Players, Omnipresent Music Festival BIPOC Musicians Festival , Harlem Quartet , and musicians such as violinist Edward W. Hardy . In the 1920s, African-American pianists who lived in Harlem invented their own style of jazz piano, called stride , which
2660-682: Is both a city landmark and NRHP site, as is the Church of Notre Dame at Morningside Drive and 114th Street. Non-religious official landmarks in Morningside Heights include Grant's Tomb , a mausoleum for U.S. president Ulysses S. Grant and his wife Julia Grant . The tomb, located in the middle of Riverside Drive at 122nd Street, is a city landmark, a NRHP site, and a national memorial . The Plant and Scrymser pavilions at Mount Sinai Morningside , located on Morningside Drive between 113th and 114th Streets, were built in 1904–1906 and 1926–1928 respectively; both pavilions are recognized as city landmarks and are on
2800-607: Is bounded by Cathedral Parkway/110th Street on the south; 155th Street on the north; Manhattan/Morningside Ave/St. Nicholas/Bradhurst/Edgecombe Avenues on the east; and Riverside Park/the Hudson River on the west. Manhattanville begins at roughly 123rd Street and extends northward to 135th Street. The northernmost section of West Harlem is Hamilton Heights. A chain of large linear parks includes West Harlem Piers , Riverbank State Park , St. Nicholas Park, and Jackie Robinson Park. East Harlem , also called Spanish Harlem or El Barrio ,
2940-411: Is composed of apartment buildings, many of which survive from the neighborhood's early-20th century wave of development. While many of the original apartments have been subdivided, numerous original five- to seven-bedroom units remain. Two of the more distinctive apartment structures are The Colosseum and The Paterno , at 116th Street and Riverside Drive , whose curved facades are the only evidence of
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#17328442716403080-461: Is home to over 400 churches, some of which are official city or national landmarks. Major Christian denominations include Baptists , Pentecostals, Methodists (generally African Methodist Episcopal Zionist , or "AMEZ" and African Methodist Episcopalian , or "AME"), Episcopalians , and Roman Catholic . The Abyssinian Baptist Church has long been influential because of its large congregation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built
3220-602: Is located in Upper Manhattan . The three neighborhoods comprising the greater Harlem area—West, Central, and East Harlem—stretch from the Harlem River and East River to the east, to the Hudson River to the west; and between 155th Street in the north, where it meets Washington Heights , and an uneven boundary along the south that runs along 96th Street east of Fifth Avenue , 110th Street between Fifth Avenue to Morningside Park , and 125th Street west of Morningside Park to
3360-457: Is located on the south side of 125th Street, on two superblocks between Broadway and Morningside Avenue, with the site being bisected by Amsterdam Avenue. The six-building Morningside Gardens co-op is located directly southwest of the Grant Houses superblocks and is bounded by 123rd and LaSalle Streets, Broadway, and Amsterdam Avenue. Several sites in Morningside Heights have been designated by
3500-526: Is located within Manhattan Community District 11, which is bounded by East 96th Street on the south, East 138th Street on the north, Fifth Avenue on the west, and the Harlem River on the east. A chain of parks includes Thomas Jefferson Park and Marcus Garvey Park. In the 2010s some real estate professionals started rebranding south Harlem as "SoHa" (a name standing for "South Harlem" in
3640-533: Is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands. Harlem's history has been defined by a series of economic boom-and-bust cycles, with significant population shifts accompanying each cycle. Harlem was predominantly occupied by Jewish and Italian Americans in the late 19th century, while African-American residents began to arrive in large numbers during the Great Migration in the early 20th century. In
3780-686: Is part of Manhattan Community District 9 . It is patrolled by the 26th Precinct of the New York City Police Department . Fire services are provided by the New York City Fire Department 's Engine Company 47 and Engine Company 37/Ladder Company 40. Politically it is represented by the New York City Council 's 7th District. Initially, Manhattan was settled by the Lenape Native Americans, who referred to
3920-729: Is served by the New York City Subway and local bus routes. It contains several public elementary, middle, and high schools, and is close to several colleges, including Columbia University , Manhattan School of Music , and the City College of New York . Central Harlem is part of Manhattan Community District 10 . It is patrolled by the 28th and 32nd Precincts of the New York City Police Department . The greater Harlem area also includes Manhattan Community Districts 9 and 11 and several police precincts, while fire services are provided by four New York City Fire Department companies. Harlem
4060-464: The Bank Street College of Education , which announced its intention to move to the area in 1964; and St. Hilda's & St. Hugh's School , which relocated from Manhattan Valley and Morningside Heights in 1967. Columbia assisted with the latter two additions, since it was interested in making Morningside Heights into a desirable place for its faculty to send their children to primary school. Within
4200-468: The Bloomingdale District until Morningside Park was finished in the late 19th century. Large-scale development started in the 1890s with academic and cultural institutions. By the 1900s, public transportation construction and the neighborhood's first subway line led to Morningside Heights being developed into a residential neighborhood. Morningside Heights was mostly developed by the 1930s. During
4340-664: The Commissioners' Plan of 1811 , the present-day Morningside Heights would remain sparsely developed for the next half-century, with the exception of the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum and the Leake and Watts Orphan Asylum . The Society for New York Hospital had started buying lots between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues north of 113th Street in 1816, and opened the Bloomingdale Asylum in 1821. Leake and Watts Services purchased
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4480-468: The Interborough Rapid Transit and elevated railway lines, helped Harlem's economic growth, as they connected Harlem to lower and midtown Manhattan. The Jewish and Italian demographic decreased, while the black and Puerto Rican population increased in this time. The early-20th century Great Migration of black people to northern industrial cities was fueled by their desire to leave behind
4620-493: The Jim Crow South, seek better jobs and education for their children, and escape a culture of lynching violence; during World War I , expanding industries recruited black laborers to fill new jobs, thinly staffed after the draft began to take young men. In 1910, Central Harlem population was about 10% black people. By 1930, it had reached 70%. Starting around the time of the end of World War I, Harlem became associated with
4760-712: The Manhattan School of Music , Bank Street College of Education , Union Theological Seminary , and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America . Additionally, Morningside Heights includes several religious institutions, including the Cathedral of St. John the Divine , Riverside Church , the Church of Notre Dame , Corpus Christi Church , and Interchurch Center . The neighborhood also contains other architectural landmarks, such as St. Luke's Hospital (now Mount Sinai Morningside ) and Grant's Tomb . Morningside Heights
4900-639: The Masjid Malcolm Shabazz (formerly Mosque No. 7 Nation of Islam , and the location of the 1972 Harlem mosque incident ), the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood and Masjid Aqsa. Judaism, too, maintains a presence in Harlem through the Old Broadway Synagogue . A non-mainstream synagogue of Black Hebrews , known as Commandment Keepers , was based in a synagogue at 1 West 123rd Street until 2008. Many places in Harlem are official city landmarks labeled by
5040-633: The New Negro movement, and then the artistic outpouring known as the Harlem Renaissance , which extended to poetry, novels, theater, and the visual arts. So many black people came that it "threaten[ed] the very existence of some of the leading industries of Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Alabama." Many settled in Harlem. By 1920, central Harlem was 32.43% black. The 1930 census revealed that 70.18% of central Harlem's residents were black and lived as far south as Central Park , at 110th Street. However, by
5180-564: The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as official city landmarks and/or are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Cathedral of St. John the Divine and its six-building cathedral close , on Amsterdam Avenue between 110th and 113th Streets, was designated by the city as an official landmark in 2017. Riverside Church , on Riverside Drive between 120th and 122nd Streets,
5320-443: The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission or are listed on the National Register of Historic Places : Other prominent points of interest include: The demographics of Harlem's communities have changed throughout its history. In 1910, black residents formed 10% of Harlem's population, but by 1930, they had become a 70% majority. The period between 1910 and 1930 was marked by the Great Migration of African Americans from
5460-612: The New York State Legislature passed in 1865, the commissioners of Central Park had the responsibility of executing the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 within Upper Manhattan. The same year, Central Park commissioner William R. Martin put forth the first proposal for a park and scenic road along the Hudson River, which later became Riverside Park and Riverside Drive . On the opposite side of the modern-day neighborhood, to
5600-460: The North River (now Hudson River ) on the neighborhood's western edge. The area to the west of the boundary, present-day Morningside Heights, was originally the common lands of British-occupied New York. In 1686, New York colonial governor Thomas Dongan granted the city of New York the patent to a triangular area between West 107th to 124th Streets, extending west to the Hudson River. The city sold
5740-457: The Section 8 housing that was being placed, many were not able to live there and had to find homes elsewhere or become homeless. These policies are examples of societal racism , also known as structural racism. As public health leaders have named structural racism as a key social determinant of health disparities between racial and ethnic minorities, these 20th century policies have contributed to
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5880-468: The cathedral close of St. John the Divine; part of the old St. Luke's Hospital was being converted into apartments; and the Union and Jewish Theological Seminaries had sold the rights to build apartments on their campuses. However, the neighborhood still retained a reputation for being relatively affordable, with per-foot housing prices being lower than in nearby neighborhoods. In 2017, part of Morningside Heights
6020-631: The redlining policy. This policy rated neighborhoods, such as Central Harlem, as unappealing based on the race, ethnicity, and national origins of the residents. Central Harlem was deemed 'hazardous' and residents living in Central Harlem were refused home loans or other investments. Comparably, wealthy and white residents in New York City neighborhoods were approved more often for housing loans and investment applications. Overall, they were given preferential treatment by city and state institutions. In
6160-495: The 109,091 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 926.05 acres (374.76 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 128.1 inhabitants per acre (82,000/sq mi; 31,700/km ). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 9.5% (11,322) White , 63% (74,735) African American , 0.3% (367) Native American , 2.4% (2,839) Asian , 0% (46) Pacific Islander , 0.3% (372) from other races , and 2.2% (2,651) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.2% (26,333) of
6300-419: The 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem were the center of the Harlem Renaissance , a major African-American cultural movement. With job losses during the Great Depression of the 1930s and the deindustrialization of New York City after World War II , rates of crime and poverty increased significantly. In the 21st century, crime rates decreased significantly, and Harlem started to gentrify . The area
6440-417: The 1930s, many residents were white and middle-class. The heads of these families included professionals like academics, engineers, doctors, lawyers, and businesspersons who worked in industries such as the garment trade. As early as 1930, the neighborhood was undergoing major demographic changes, and the newcomers included middle-class families who were not necessarily part of any institution. This resulted in
6580-579: The 1930s, the neighborhood was hit hard by job losses in the Great Depression . In the early 1930s, 25% of Harlemites were out of work, and employment prospects for Harlemites stayed poor for decades. Employment among black New Yorkers fell as some traditionally black businesses, including domestic service and some types of manual labor, were taken over by other ethnic groups. Major industries left New York City altogether, especially after 1950. Several riots happened in this period, including in 1935 and 1943 . There were major changes following World War II . In
6720-484: The 1960s, uneducated black people could find jobs more easily than educated ones could, confounding efforts to improve the lives of people who lived in the neighborhood through education. Land owners took advantage of the neighborhood and offered apartments to the lower-class families for cheaper rent but in lower-class conditions. By 1999 there were 179,000 housing units available in Harlem. Housing activists in Harlem state that, even after residents were given vouchers for
6860-421: The 1990s, and it continued to expand into Morningside Heights. By the end of the decade, there were only 50 apartment buildings between 110th and 122nd Streets that were not owned by the university. Other structures were also built in Morningside Heights, including Barnard's Sulzberger Hall. Morningside Park, which received a series of renovations in the 1980s and 1990s, was no longer considered to be as dangerous by
7000-455: The 20th century. Additionally, Manhattan's population was growing rapidly, exceeding one million in 1890. Speculative developers , hoping to cater to Morningside Heights' institutions and Manhattan's increasing population, started erecting the first row houses in the area in 1892–1893. These early buildings were designed in the Colonial , Georgian , or Renaissance Revival styles, in contrast to
7140-704: The Asian population by 27% (1,565), a decrease in the Black population by 16% (1,502), and an increase in the White population by 7% (1,606). The Latino population experienced a slight decrease of 2% (203), while the population of all other races increased by 15% (255) yet remained a small minority. The entirety of Manhattan Community District 9, which encompasses Morningside Heights, Manhattanville , and Hamilton Heights , had 111,287 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 81.4 years. This
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#17328442716407280-586: The Black population's decrease by 11% (9,544). While the growth of the Hispanic / Latino was predominantly in Central Harlem North, the decrease in the Black population was slightly greater in Central Harlem South, and the drastic increase in the White population was split evenly across the two census tabulation areas. Meanwhile, the Asian population grew by 211% (1,927) but remained a small minority, and
7420-482: The Bloomingdale District, of which modern-day Morningside Heights was considered to be part, was completed by 1880. Morningside Park was completed in 1895. Though several other infrastructure improvements were made, development in the region above 110th Street was slow until the 1890s. Broadway, a wide avenue with medians, opened in 1868 as the "Boulevard" and replaced the former Bloomingdale Road. New pipes for
7560-634: The Croton Aqueduct were laid in 1865, and a still-extant gatehouse at 113th Street was erected later. Plans to relocate the Bloomingdale Asylum were considered as early as 1870, but the Panic of 1873 stalled any additional planning for the rest of the decade. The Ninth Avenue elevated was extended north from the Bloomingdale District to Harlem in 1879, but its route largely skipped the highlands north of 110th Street, as its route shifted eastward at 110th Street. An elevated station at 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue
7700-452: The Divine . Several other educational institutions were soon constructed in the area, including Barnard College , Teachers College , Jewish Theological Seminary of America , and Union Theological Seminary . Medical institutions moved there as well, such as St. Luke's Hospital and the Woman's Hospital . In the 1890s, following Morningside Park's completion, several figures began advocating for
7840-461: The Hudson River. Encyclopædia Britannica references these boundaries, though the Encyclopedia of New York City takes a much more conservative view of Harlem's boundaries, regarding only central Harlem as part of Harlem proper. Central Harlem is the name of Harlem proper; it falls under Manhattan Community District 10. This section is bounded by Fifth Avenue on the east; Central Park on
7980-516: The NRHP. Numerous academic buildings in Morningside Heights contain a city or national landmark designation. On the Columbia campus, these sites include Low Memorial Library , a National Historic Landmark as well as a city-designated interior and exterior landmark. Other NRHP sites on the Columbia campus include Philosophy Hall , where FM radio was invented; Pupin Hall , a National Historic Landmark where
8120-718: The Prohibition era, and was dubbed "Jungle Alley" because of "inter-racial mingling" on the street. Some jazz venues, including the Cotton Club , where Duke Ellington played, and Connie's Inn , were restricted to whites only. Others were integrated, including the Renaissance Ballroom and the Savoy Ballroom. In 1936, Orson Welles produced his black Macbeth at the Lafayette Theater in Harlem. Grand theaters from
8260-484: The SROs, which were mostly occupied by racial minorities and did not have rent regulation . Likewise, while apartment buildings were rent-regulated, many units were subject to "affiliation clauses" that extended tenancy only to members of the academic institutions within Morningside Heights. Protests against such clauses continued through the late 1970s. The conflicts peaked in 1968, when protests arose in Columbia's campus and
8400-612: The SoHa name "insulting and another sign of gentrification run amok", while another said that "the rebranding not only places their neighborhood's rich history under erasure but also appears to be intent on attracting new tenants, including students from nearby Columbia University." The controversy later led to proposals for legislation that would limit neighborhood rebranding citywide. By the 2010s, new developments were being built amid several of Morningside Heights' preexisting institutions. For instance, two residential buildings had been erected on
8540-535: The Society's land east of Amsterdam Avenue between 110th and 113th Streets in 1834, and Ithiel Town 's design for the Leake and Watts Asylum was completed in 1843. In addition, the Croton Aqueduct ran above ground through the modern neighborhood, opening in 1842. Through the late 19th century, Bloomingdale Road was the only connection to the rest of Manhattan. A stagecoach line along Bloomingdale Road, founded in 1819,
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#17328442716408680-473: The South to northern cities, including New York. Within the city, this era also witnessed an influx of black residents from downtown Manhattan neighborhoods, where black people were feeling less welcome, to the Harlem area. The black population in Harlem peaked in 1950, with a 98% share of the population of 233,000. As of 2000, central Harlem's black residents comprised 77% of the total population of that area; however,
8820-560: The ages of 0–17, while 35% are between 25 and 44, and 24% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 11% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 10 was $ 49,059. In 2018, an estimated 21% of Community District 10 residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. Around 12% of residents were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or
8960-423: The architecture of the older row houses in nearby neighborhoods. These developers saw mixed success: while some houses sold quickly, others languished for a decade or were foreclosed . The Morningside Protective Association, established in 1896, unsuccessfully attempted to limit the proliferation of low-rise development. The first tenements in Morningside Heights were built toward the end of the 1890s and were among
9100-475: The area bounded by Broadway, Amsterdam Avenue, and 110th and 113th Streets, where there were reported to be high concentrations of prostitutes. Two years later, the Times called the formerly opulent Hendrik Hudson apartment building "one of the city's worst slum buildings", with several hundred building and health code violations. By 1961, there were 33 SROs in the neighborhood. In 1947, fourteen major institutions in
9240-425: The area nearby as "Muscota" or "Muscoota", meaning "place of rushes". The nearest Native American settlements were Rechewanis and Konaande Kongh in present-day Central Park , to the southeast of modern Morningside Heights. Additionally, a Native American path in the area was adapted into part of modern-day Riverside Drive. However, the region remained relatively hard to access because of the steep topography. Prior to
9380-529: The area's proximity to the subway. Between 1903 and 1911, at least 75 apartment buildings were built in the neighborhood. By 1906, there were 27 such developments underway, including structures on which work had started before the 1901 law had been passed. A Real Estate Record and Guide article published in August 1906 described Morningside Heights as New York City's "most distinctive high-class apartment house quarter". Units on Riverside Drive, despite being further from
9520-479: The beginning of the 18th century, most travel within modern New York City was made via water, since there were few roads in the region. Dutch settlers occupied Manhattan in the early 17th century and called the nearby area "Vredendal", meaning "peaceful dale". The western boundary of New Harlem was drawn through the present-day Morningside Park in 1666, running from 74th Street at the East River to 124th Street at
9660-569: The beginning of the 21st century. Despite its redevelopment, the neighborhood still retained some of its working-class character, mostly because of Columbia's affiliation-clause policy, leading the Times to say in 1993 that Morningside Heights "has practically escaped yuppification ". Housing prices started to increase rapidly in the late 1990s. A 1999 Times article mentioned that though there were still tensions between residents and institutions, these conflicts had subsided somewhat, with institutions being more receptive to feedback from residents. In
9800-432: The black population has recently declined as many African Americans move out and more immigrants move in. As of 2021, central Harlem's Black residents numbered 56,668, comprising 44% of the total population. In that regard, there are an estimated 27% (34,773) Hispanics, 18% (23,182) White, 4% (5,151) Asian, 6% (7,727) of two or more races and 2% (2,575) Other. Harlem suffers from unemployment rates generally more than twice
9940-496: The character of the neighborhood had not yet been developed, early-1900s apartment buildings tended to be erected "modestly", with little ornamentation. The subway opened in October 1904 with stations at 110th , 116th , and 125th Streets, providing a direct connection to Lower Manhattan, the city's economic center at the time. In subsequent years, developers erected larger buildings for the middle class, which had been made feasible by
10080-460: The city and Columbia University: the city had proposed erecting 1,000 apartments on Riverside Drive, but Columbia objected because it would have precluded the university's ability to build a proposed western campus. In 1970, I. M. Pei was hired to create a new plan for Columbia's expansion on the South Field, though only one portion of Pei's plan was ever built. In the 1970s, as crimes increased in
10220-431: The city in general, institutional leaders in Morningside Heights raised concerns about safety and security. Meanwhile, Columbia University continued to expand its presence in the neighborhood. By the late 1970s, one in five apartment buildings in Morningside Heights were owned by Columbia, and by the 1980s, it was the neighborhood's largest landlord. In 1979, a Barnard College student was killed by masonry that had fallen from
10360-419: The citywide average, as well as high poverty rates. and the numbers for men have been consistently worse than the numbers for women. Private and governmental initiatives to ameliorate unemployment and poverty have not been successful. During the Great Depression , unemployment in Harlem went past 20% and people were being evicted from their homes. At the same time, the federal government developed and instituted
10500-542: The community has also hosted numerous actors and theater companies, including the New Heritage Repertory Theater, National Black Theater, Lafayette Players, Harlem Suitcase Theater, The Negro Playwrights, American Negro Theater , and the Rose McClendon Players. The Apollo Theater opened on 125th Street on January 26, 1934, in a former burlesque house . The Savoy Ballroom , on Lenox Avenue ,
10640-511: The complex, Main Hall, was completed in late 1894; the last, Milbank Memorial Hall, was finished three years later. Both Barnard and Teachers Colleges saw rapid growth in the early 20th century. Only three structures were built for Barnard, resulting in overcrowding; by contrast, numerous large facilities were erected for Teachers College, including a gymnasium, manual arts building, household arts building, and dormitories. Other institutions of higher education on Morningside Heights were developed in
10780-408: The construction of new projects. From the mid-20th century, the low quality of education in Harlem has been a source of distress. In the 1960s, about 75% of Harlem students tested under grade levels in reading skills, and 80% tested under grade level in math. In 1964, residents of Harlem staged two school boycotts to call attention to the problem. In central Harlem, 92% of students stayed home. In
10920-488: The construction of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company 's first subway line (now part of the New York City Subway 's Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line , serving the 1 train). These buildings contained features that were considered innovative at the time, such as electric lighting, soundproofed and parquet floors, tiled bathrooms with porcelain fixtures, and long-distance telephone lines. Since
11060-423: The current population health disparities between Central Harlem and other New York City neighborhoods. For census purposes, the New York City government classifies Central Harlem into two neighborhood tabulation areas: Central Harlem North and Central Harlem South, divided by 126th street. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Central Harlem was 118,665, a change of 9,574 (8.1%) from
11200-500: The early 20th century, the first of which was the new campus of the Union Theological Seminary between Broadway and Claremont Avenue from 120th to 122nd Streets. The campus was composed of several Gothic Revival structures, designed by architects Allen & Collens and arranged around a quadrangle. The structures were completed by 1910, and expanded soon after with the construction of the Stone Gym in 1912 (now part of Riverside Church), and
11340-403: The east of Morningside Gardens, across Amsterdam Avenue. Completed in 1956, it was less successful in racial integration but was praised by local landlords as a deterrent to urban decay. The construction of Grant Houses necessitated the displacement of 7,000 residents. The New York Times described the urban renewal scheme in 1957 as "the biggest face-lifting job under way in this city". Prior to
11480-422: The east, 125th Street to the north, 110th Street to the south, and Riverside Park to the west. The neighborhood is zoned primarily for high-rise apartment buildings, though ground-floor stores are also present on Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. In practice, much of the neighborhood is composed of structures for the neighborhood's religious or academic institutions. The residential stock of Morningside Heights
11620-461: The east, Central Park commissioner Andrew Haswell Green proposed Morningside Park in 1867 to avoid the expense of expanding the Manhattan street grid across extremely steep terrain. Landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted was hired for both projects: he designed Riverside Drive and Park in 1873–1875, and he co-designed Morningside Park with Calvert Vaux in 1873, with further revisions to the latter in 1887. The section of Riverside Drive and Park in
11760-400: The existing campuses of neighborhood institutions, two St. Luke's Hospital pavilions were demolished and replaced in the 1950s and 1960s, and a new office wing at Riverside Church opened in 1959. Social tensions began to develop as many of the area's institutions began to expand into the surrounding neighborhood. The newer buildings had architecture that was described as bland, as contrasted to
11900-426: The fewest opportunities for success. Though the federal government's Model Cities Program spent $ 100 million on job training, health care, education, public safety, sanitation, housing, and other projects over a ten-year period, Harlem showed no improvement. The city began auctioning its enormous portfolio of Harlem properties to the public in 1985. This was intended to improve the community by placing property in
12040-540: The first experiments on the fission of uranium were conducted by Enrico Fermi ; and Casa Italiana on the East Campus, which is also a city landmark. St. Paul's Chapel is designated as a city landmark but not as a national landmark. On the Barnard campus, NRHP-listed sites include Students' Hall ; Brooks and Hewitt Halls ; and Milbank, Brinckerhoff, and Fiske Halls . The Delta Psi, Alpha Chapter building on Riverside Drive
12180-406: The hands of people who would live in them and maintain them. In many cases, the city would even pay to completely renovate a property before selling it (by lottery) below market value. After the 1990s, Harlem began to grow again. Between 1990 and 2006 the neighborhood's population grew by 16.9%, with the percentage of black people decreasing from 87.6% to 69.3%, then dropping to 54.4% by 2010, and
12320-418: The island to the south. The following approximate definitions are used: Neighborhood names and boundaries are not officially defined. They may vary or change from time to time due to demographic and economic variables. Large scale developments Large scale developments Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan , New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on
12460-507: The land to Jacob De Key in 1701. An easy connection to the rest of the modern-day city was made two years later, when Bloomingdale Road (modern-day Broadway) was extended north from Lower Manhattan to 117th Street. Harman Vandewater acquired part of the De Key farm by 1735, and it was called Vandewater Heights by 1738. On September 16, 1776, the Battle of Harlem Heights was fought in the area, with
12600-488: The late 1950s and early 1960s, Harlem was the scene of a series of rent strikes by neighborhood tenants, led by local activist Jesse Gray , together with the Congress of Racial Equality , Harlem Youth Opportunities Unlimited (HARYOU), and other groups. These groups wanted the city to force landlords to improve the quality of housing by bringing them up to code, to take action against rats and roaches , to provide heat during
12740-448: The late 1990s, some businesses in the area started labeling Morningside Heights and southern Harlem with the name SoHa (for "South Harlem" or "South of Harlem"), as seen in the names of Max's SoHa restaurant and the former SoHa nightclub in Morningside Heights. "SoHa" has become a controversial name, having been used by the real estate industry and other individuals gentrifying the area between West 110th and 125th Streets. One critic called
12880-533: The late 19th and early 20th centuries were torn down or converted to churches. Harlem lacked any permanent performance space until the creation of the Gatehouse Theater in an old Croton aqueduct building on 135th Street in 2006. From 1965 until 2007, the community was home to the Harlem Boys Choir , a touring choir and education program for young boys, most of whom are black. The Girls Choir of Harlem
13020-673: The leadership of Peter Stuyvesant . During the American Revolution , the British burned Harlem to the ground. It took a long time to rebuild, as Harlem grew more slowly than the rest of Manhattan during the late 18th century. After the American Civil War , Harlem experienced an economic boom starting in 1868. The neighborhood continued to serve as a refuge for New Yorkers, but increasingly those coming north were poor and Jewish or Italian. The New York and Harlem Railroad , as well as
13160-414: The mid-1890s, no single name was commonly used for the neighborhood. Two names eventually gained the most use; "Morningside Heights" was preferred by the two colleges, while "Cathedral Heights" was preferred by St. John's and St. Luke's. After about 1898, "Morningside Heights" became the most generally accepted, although the diocese at St. John's continued to call the neighborhood "Cathedral Heights" well into
13300-511: The mid-20th century, as the institutions within Morningside Heights expanded, cultural tensions grew between residents who were affiliated with institutions and those who were not. After a period of decline, the neighborhood started to gentrify in the 1980s and 1990s. A large portion of Morningside Heights is part of the campus of Columbia University , a private Ivy League university. Morningside Heights contains numerous other educational institutions such as Teachers College , Barnard College ,
13440-477: The most intense fighting occurring in a sloping wheat field that is now the location of Barnard College . A plaque by the Columbia University gate on 117th Street and Broadway commemorates this battle. Vandewater Heights was sold by 1785 to James W. De Peyster. His brother, Nicholas De Peyster, bought the land directly to the west, along the shoreline. Though a grid for Manhattan Island would be laid out in
13580-468: The neighborhood formed Morningside Heights Inc, an urban renewal organization that aimed to reduce poverty and segregation by erecting new housing. Morningside Heights Inc., headed by David Rockefeller , was the first major joint venture between the neighborhood's institutions. Its first project was Morningside Gardens , a middle-income co-op apartment complex between 123rd and LaSalle Streets, Broadway, and Amsterdam Avenue. The project, completed in 1957,
13720-405: The neighborhood was 46.0% (25,750) White , 13.6% (7,619) African American , 0.2% (105) Native American , 13.3% (7,462) Asian , 0.1% (30) Pacific Islander , 0.4% (203) from other races , and 2.9% (1,605) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.5% (13,155) of the population. The population of Morningside Heights changed moderately from 2000 to 2010, with an increase in
13860-501: The neighborhood. The first of these was St. Luke's Hospital, which in 1892 purchased the site directly north of the cathedral as a direct result of influence from cathedral secretary George Macculloch Miller . Built to designs by Ernest Flagg , the first five pavilions in the hospital opened in 1896, with three additional pavilions being added later. Next was Cady, Berg & See 's Home for Old Men and Aged Couples, built at Amsterdam Avenue and 112th Street and opened in 1896. Third to come
14000-446: The only Old Law Tenements built in the neighborhood. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, on Amsterdam Avenue between 110th and 113th Streets, had been the first institution to commit to building in Morningside Heights. However, construction proceeded very slowly: the first portion of the cathedral did not open until 1911, and the cathedral remained incomplete a century later. Nonetheless, its presence led other institutions to move to
14140-414: The percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 48% in Community District 10, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Community District 10 is considered to be gentrifying : according to the Community Health Profile, the district was low-income in 1990 and has seen above-median rent growth up to 2010. In 2010,
14280-505: The percentage of whites increasing from 1.5% to 6.6% by 2006, and to "almost 10%" by 2010. A renovation of 125th Street and new properties along the thoroughfare also helped to revitalize Harlem. In the 1920s and 1930s, Central and West Harlem was the focus of the " Harlem Renaissance ", an outpouring of artistic work without precedent in the American Black community. Though Harlem musicians and writers are particularly well remembered,
14420-727: The population of West Harlem was 110,193. West Harlem, consisting of Manhattanville and Hamilton Heights , is predominately Hispanic / Latino, while African Americans make up about a quarter of the West Harlem population. In 2010, the population of East Harlem was 120,000. East Harlem originally formed as a predominantly Italian American neighborhood. The area began its transition from Italian Harlem to Spanish Harlem when Puerto Rican migration began after World War II, though in recent decades, many Dominican , Mexican and Salvadoran immigrants have also settled in East Harlem. East Harlem
14560-428: The population. Harlem's Black population was more concentrated in Central Harlem North, and its White population more concentrated in Central Harlem South, while the Hispanic / Latino population was evenly split. The most significant shifts in the racial composition of Central Harlem between 2000 and 2010 were the White population's increase by 402% (9,067), the Hispanic / Latino population's increase by 43% (7,982), and
14700-412: The post-World War II era, Harlem ceased to be home to a majority of the city's black people, but it remained the cultural and political capital of black New York, and possibly black America. By the 1970s, many of those Harlemites who were able to escape from poverty left the neighborhood in search of better schools and homes, and safer streets. Those who remained were the poorest and least skilled, with
14840-610: The practice of rebranding historically recognized neighborhoods illegal. Politically, central Harlem is in New York's 13th congressional district . It is in the New York State Senate 's 30th district, the New York State Assembly 's 68th and 70th districts, and the New York City Council 's 7th, 8th, and 9th districts. Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that would become Harlem (originally Haarlem)
14980-452: The regulations to which tenement buildings had to conform. To fit these new regulations, the architects of the different developments drew up several general plans to maximize the amount of floor space in each building, while also ensuring every residential unit had windows that faced either a courtyard or the street. The more common plans included L-, I-, O-, or U-shaped designs. Several buildings were erected close to Broadway in anticipation of
15120-499: The relocation of both asylums in the neighborhood. The asylums were seen as holding up development in the area. The Bloomingdale Asylum had twice rejected offers to purchase its land: first in 1880, when Ulysses S. Grant advocated for a world's fair to be held there three years later, and then in 1888, when the area was being considered as the site of the World's Columbian Exposition to be held during 1892. The Bloomingdale Asylum moved to
15260-572: The simultaneous expansions of other communities with Ivy League universities, which were constructing structures with more distinctive designs. Through the 1960s, Columbia University, Barnard College, and other institutions purchased several dozen buildings in Morningside Heights, leading to accusations of forced eviction and gentrification . Many residential buildings were converted to institutional use, while others were demolished to make way for new institutional buildings, such as Columbia University's East Campus . The process involved demolishing some of
15400-424: The small population of all other races increased by 4% (142). The entirety of Community District 10, which comprises Central Harlem, had 116,345 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 76.2 years. This is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are children and middle-aged adults: 21% are between
15540-522: The south, and Riverside Park to the west. Broadway is the neighborhood's main thoroughfare, running north–south. Morningside Heights, located on a high plateau between Morningside and Riverside Parks, was hard to access until the late 19th century and was sparsely developed except for the Bloomingdale and Leake and Watts asylums. Morningside Heights and the Upper West Side were considered part of
15680-634: The south; Morningside Park, St. Nicholas Avenue and Edgecombe Avenue on the west; and the Harlem River on the north. A chain of large linear parks includes Morningside Park, St. Nicholas Park , Jackie Robinson Park , as well as Marcus Garvey Park (also known as Mount Morris Park) which separates this area from East Harlem to the east. Central Harlem includes the Mount Morris Park Historic District . West Harlem ( Manhattanville , Hamilton Heights , and Sugar Hill ) comprises Manhattan Community district 9. The three neighborhoods' area
15820-1160: The style of SoHo or NoHo ) in an attempt to accelerate gentrification of the neighborhoods. "SoHa", applied to the area between West 110th and 125th Streets, has become a controversial name. Residents and other critics seeking to prevent this renaming of the area have labelled the SoHa brand as "insulting and another sign of gentrification run amok" and have said that "the rebranding not only places their neighborhood's rich history under erasure but also appears to be intent on attracting new tenants, including students from nearby Columbia University". Multiple New York City politicians have initiated legislative efforts to curtail this practice of neighborhood rebranding, which when successfully introduced in other New York City neighborhoods, have led to increases in rents and real estate values, as well as "shifting demographics". In 2011, U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries attempted but failed to implement legislation "that would punish real estate agents for inventing false neighborhoods and redrawing neighborhood boundaries without city approval." By 2017, New York State Senator Brian Benjamin also worked to render
15960-691: The subway, were generally more expensive because of their riverfront views. Jewish and Italian developers had a large influence in early-20th century development in Morningside Heights. For instance, the Italian-American Paterno brothers , along with their brothers-in-law, built The Paterno , The Colosseum , and several other large apartment buildings in the area. Two members of the family, Michael Paterno and Victor Cerabone, also started their own firms and built structures in Morningside Heights. The majority of Morningside Heights developers were Jewish, although most of these Jewish developers created only
16100-609: The surrounding neighborhood over the university's proposal to build a gym in Morningside Park, which would have created separate entrances in mostly-white Morningside Heights and mostly-black Harlem. The university abandoned the plan the next year. Two other major plans were proposed but not built after objections from the community: a proposed expansion of the Interchurch Center, and a nursing home on Amsterdam Avenue between 111th and 112th Streets. There were even disputes between
16240-429: The urban renewal projects, most institutions in Morningside Heights considered its northern boundary to be around 122nd Street, but with the completion of these developments, the area between 122nd and 125th Street was added to the popular definition of Morningside Heights. Three institutions opened or moved into Morningside Heights during the late 1950s and early 1960s. These were the Interchurch Center , opened in 1960;
16380-529: The use of the name "Morningside Heights" for the region between 110th and 125th Streets. The name "Bloomingdale" was also used for the area around the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum. However, other names such as "Morningside Hill" and "Riverside Heights" were used for the area. When construction started on Columbia University, Teachers College, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and St. Luke's Hospital in
16520-524: The west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Harlem area encompasses several other neighborhoods and extends west and north to 155th Street, east to the East River , and south to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard , Central Park , and East 96th Street . Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it
16660-470: The winter, and to keep prices in line with existing rent control regulations. The largest public works projects in Harlem in these years were public housing, with the largest concentration built in East Harlem. Typically, existing structures were torn down and replaced with city-designed and managed properties that would, in theory, present a safer and more pleasant environment than those available from private landlords. Ultimately, community objections halted
16800-467: The words and phrases from the dictionary. He released several editions until 1944, the last being The New Cab Calloway's Hepsters Dictionary: Language of Jive . Poet Lemn Sissay observed that "Cab Calloway was taking ownership of language for a people who, just a few generations before, had their own languages taken away." Religious life has historically had a strong presence in Black Harlem. The area
16940-415: Was $ 50,048, though the median income in Morningside Heights individually was $ 81,890. In 2018, an estimated 24% of Community District 9 residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. One in twelve residents (8%) were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent,
17080-400: Was Columbia University, whose president Seth Low had commissioned Charles Follen McKim of the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White to design the new Morningside Heights campus in 1893. The plan consisted of 15 buildings and a South Court on the east side of Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets, centered around the university's major library, Low Memorial Library . The Low Library
17220-533: Was a renowned venue for swing dancing, and was immortalized in a popular song of the era, " Stompin' at the Savoy ". In the 1920s and 1930s, between Lenox and Seventh Avenues in central Harlem, over 125 entertainment venues were in operation, including speakeasies , cellars, lounges, cafes, taverns, supper clubs, rib joints, theaters, dance halls, and bars and grills. 133rd Street , known as "Swing Street", became known for its cabarets, speakeasies and jazz scene during
17360-477: Was constructed between 1895 and 1897, along with most of the other original structures, and the first classes at the new campus were held in October 1897. Several campus expansions occurred shortly afterward, including Earl Hall in 1902; the first dormitories, Hartley Hall and Livingston Hall , in 1905; South Field, purchased in 1903; St. Paul's Chapel , completed in 1907; and numerous classrooms and other buildings. Columbia's presence in Morningside Heights led to
17500-426: Was developed by one of three firms: George Pelham , Neville & Bagge, or Schwartz & Gross . After World War I , the remaining empty lots were bought and developed. By the 1920s, the neighborhood's character had been fully established. In addition to apartment buildings, Morningside Heights contained commercial ventures, though these were mainly confined to low-rise buildings on the north–south avenues. Through
17640-527: Was expanded to modern Morningside Heights and Manhattanville four years later. Mansions were developed on the shore, and William Dixon erected small wood-frame houses on 110th Street, which would be referred to as "Dixonville". In 1846, the Hudson River Railroad (later the West Side Line and Hudson Line ) was built along the Hudson River waterfront, connecting New York City to Albany. By an act of
17780-457: Was featured in the 1980s song " Tom's Diner " by Suzanne Vega , an alumna of Barnard College. Later, exterior shots were used on the television sitcom Seinfeld as a stand-in for the diner hangout of the show's principal characters. Neighborhoods in Manhattan This is a list of neighborhoods in the New York City borough of Manhattan arranged geographically from the north of
17920-652: Was founded in 1989, and closed with the Boys Choir. From 1967 to 1969, the Harlem Cultural Festival took place in Mount Morris Park . Another name for this festival is "Black Woodstock". Artists like Stevie Wonder , The 5th Dimension , and Gladys Knight performed here. Harlem is also home to the largest African American Day Parade , which celebrates the culture of African diaspora in America. The parade
18060-778: Was founded in 2021 to celebrate cuisine, community, and culture. It is one of the largest night markets in Manhattan . The main attractions include musical performances, arts and crafts shows, and food. Many R&B/Soul groups and artists formed in Harlem. The Main Ingredient , Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers , Black Ivory , Cameo , Keith Sweat , Freddie Jackson , Alyson Williams , Johnny Kemp , Teddy Riley , Dave Wooley , and others got their start in Harlem. Manhattan's contributions to hip-hop stems largely from artists with Harlem roots such as Doug E. Fresh , Big L , Kurtis Blow , The Diplomats , Mase or Immortal Technique . Harlem
18200-563: Was heavily influenced by ragtime . This style played a very important role in early jazz piano In 1938, jazz bandleader and singer Cab Calloway published the first dictionary by an African-American, Cab Calloway's Cat-ologue: A "Hepster's" Dictionary , which became the official jive language reference book of the New York Public Library . In 1939, Calloway published an accompanying book titled Professor Cab Calloway's Swingformation Bureau , which instructed readers how to apply
18340-451: Was hired to design the campus. Before funds ran out, Rich ultimately designed the Milbank, Brinckerhoff, and Fiske Halls , which held their first classes in October 1897. Immediately north was Teachers College, which became affiliated with Columbia University in 1893 and merged with the latter in 1897. The buildings for this campus were designed by William Appleton Potter . The first structure in
18480-464: Was inhabited by a Native American band , the Wecquaesgeek , dubbed Manhattans or Manhattoe by Dutch settlers, who along with other Native Americans, most likely Lenape , occupied the area on a semi-nomadic basis. As many as several hundred farmed the Harlem flatlands. Between 1637 and 1639, a few settlements were established. The settlement of Harlem was formally incorporated in 1660 under
18620-447: Was initially occupied by a multi-racial tenant base of just under a thousand families, a third of whom worked at neighborhood institutions. Morningside Gardens drew some opposition, as it replaced an eclectic group of low- and mid-rise housing that was occupied by about 6,000 people, mostly African Americans. Another development in the neighborhood was Grant Houses , a New York City Housing Authority public-housing development located to
18760-488: Was not opened until 1903, and even then, it was hard to access due to the steep topography. Thus, while the Upper West Side to the south and Hamilton Heights to the north were developed with row houses by the 1880s, the intervening area had almost no new development. The Real Estate Record and Guide stated that it was "difficult to explore the region without a guide" because of the lack of development there. In 1886, real estate figures and politicians started advocating for
18900-501: Was opposed to such a designation, which would have limited the university's flexibility as a landlord in Morningside Heights. The district includes 115 residential and institutional properties on West 109th Street west of Broadway; the blocks east and west of Broadway from Cathedral Parkway to West 113th Street; the blocks west of Broadway from West 113th to 118th Street; and the blocks west of Claremont Avenue from West 118th to 119th Street. Tom's Restaurant , on Broadway at 112th Street ,
19040-590: Was protected as part of the Morningside Heights Historic District . Despite advocacy from local residents, the New York City Department of City Planning declined to rezone Morningside Heights in 2019. This prompted residents to create a task force, the Morningside Heights Community Coalition, to rezone certain blocks to require affordable housing in certain types of developments. In 2021, the task force and local politicians announced
19180-426: Was seeing many new "restaurants and boutiques" that had replaced "dusty shops and fast-food counters". By 1987, Morningside Heights was much safer compared to fifteen years prior, with Broadway being redeveloped as a fashionable shopping district. Much of this effort was undertaken by Columbia, which sought to improve its reputation among the surrounding community. Columbia started to restore several of its buildings in
19320-535: Was started up in the spring of 1969 with Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. as the Grand Marshal of the first celebration. Arthur Mitchell , a former dancer with the New York City Ballet , established Dance Theatre of Harlem as a school and company of classical ballet and theater training in the late 1960s. The company has toured nationally and internationally. Generations of theater artists have gotten
19460-551: Was the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, across Broadway to the east of Juilliard, whose buildings were completed in 1930. Riverside Church , to the west of the Union Theological Seminary, was completed the same year. There was still little residential development in the first decade of the 20th century. A small concentration of beer gardens began to develop around the "Dixonville" on 110th Street. The New York State Tenement House Act of 1901 drastically changed
19600-484: Was the Woman's Hospital at Amsterdam Avenue and 110th Street, which was designed by Frederick R. Allen of Allen & Collens and completed in 1906. While these projects led to Morningside Heights being known as an "Academic Acropolis", they did not significantly alter the character of the neighborhood. By the late 1890s and early 1900s, Morningside Heights' academic institutions were growing rapidly. The most prominent of these
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