151-430: Morningside Park may refer to: Morningside Park (Manhattan) , New York Morningside Park (Toronto) , Ontario Morningside Nature Center , Gainesville, Florida [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
302-617: A building to the north of the athletic fields. The structure, on a 2-acre (0.81 ha) plot, would have an upper level to be used as a Columbia gym and a lower level community center . The complex was supported by Moses, Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. , and the New York City Council . A 50-year lease was approved in March 1960, signed in August, and accepted by the Board of Estimate. The structure
453-451: A danger to the park's safety. A playground and comfort station was added between 113th and 114th Streets on the east side of Morningside Park in November 1935; the 113th–114th Streets comfort station was replaced by 1945. A polygonal comfort station was proposed for the southeastern corner of the park in 1936 but was not built. A playground at the northeastern corner of Morningside Park
604-451: A decision was made to change the process by which buildings are declared to be landmarks due to some perceived issues with the manner by which the LPC operates as well as the realization that the destruction feared when the LPC was formed was no longer imminent. By 1990, the LPC was cited by David Dinkins as having preserved New York City's municipal identity and enhanced the market perception of
755-487: A design for the park in October 1871. The New York Times said that the park's name was apt for it would "[possess] a sunny exposure in the early morning hours," and described the planned park as having "handsome walks, flower-beds, jetting fountains, [and] a play-ground" among other things. The Times predicted that the planned Morningside Park "will doubtless be a favorite resort for children and invalids." Kellogg's plan
906-410: A desolate area with a reputation for being crime-ridden, had become gentrified by the 2010s. Fears of crime remained, especially after 18-year-old Barnard College student Tessa Majors was fatally stabbed in a late-2019 mugging within the park. Columbia University student Davide Giri was fatally stabbed nearby in 2021 in what The New York Times called "an eerie reprise" of Majors's death. In 2023,
1057-767: A founder and former chairman of the Friends of Morningside Park who had died in 1996. In 1998 and 1999, the Morningside Area Alliance (MAA), a neighborhood community group, received $ 35,000 in grant funding from the Kaplan Foundation to work on the park. A portion was used to assess what the park needed done most urgently, while a second portion went to restructure the largely disorganized Friends volunteer group. The resulting "revitalization plan" suggested further maintenance and capital improvements and enhancements to its character and appearance. The study also found there
1208-436: A frequent homeless hangout. So common were crimes there that Morningside Heights residents nicknamed it "Muggingside Park". In 1971, after the controversy over the now-canceled Columbia site had subsided, NYC Parks published its "Proposed Rehabilitation of Columbia Gym Site", which called for a playground on the site's eastern edge and new paths on the western side. It was reported that Columbia had agreed to pay compensation for
1359-627: A full-time, paid workforce of 80, composed of administrators, legal advisors, architects, historians, restoration experts, and researchers. Students sponsored by the federal government, as well as volunteers, also assist the commission. The full-time staff, students, and volunteers are divided into six departments. The research department performs research of structures and sites that have been deemed potential landmarks. The preservation department reviews and approves permit applications to structures and sites that have been deemed landmarks. The enforcement department reviews reports of alleged violations of
1510-529: A heatedly discussed decision on August 3, 2010, the LPC unanimously declined to grant landmark status to a building on Park Place in Manhattan, and thus did not block the construction of Cordoba House . A major dispute arose over the preservation of theaters in the Theater District during the 1980s. The LPC considered protecting close to 50 legitimate theaters as individual city landmarks in 1982, following
1661-612: A human-made ornamental pond and waterfall; three sculptures; several athletic fields; playgrounds ; and an arboretum . Morningside Park is operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , although the group Friends of Morningside Park helps maintain it. The area near Morningside Park was originally known as Muscota by the Lenape Native Americans in the Delaware languages . A park in this location
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#17328482101391812-550: A lease for large parts of the Seaport area and desired to redevelop it, generating fears among locals that the New Market Building would be altered or destroyed. The corporation has offered to provide a more modest food market (at 10,000 sq ft (930 m )) into their development plans, but market organizers have not been satisfied as they believe this proposal is not guaranteed or large enough, and would still not ensure
1963-517: A number of neighborhoods. This success is believed to be due, in part, to the general acceptance of the LPC by the city's developers. By 2016, the LPC had designated 1,355 individual landmarks, 117 interior landmarks, 138 historic districts, and 10 scenic landmarks. One of the most prominent decisions in which the LPC was involved was the preservation of the Grand Central Terminal with the assistance of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis . In 1978,
2114-409: A part-time basis. By law, the commissioners must include a minimum of six professionals: three architects, a historian, a city planner or landscape architect, and a realtor. In addition, the commissioners must include at least one resident from each of New York City's five boroughs (who may also be a professional). All of the commissioners are unpaid, except for the chairman. The commission also employs
2265-408: A picnic area and renovating the sports fields. The 1957 fieldhouse was also redesigned, and a new entrance was installed at 113th Street and Morningside Drive. This renovation was completed in 1993. There was little funding to perform further renovations at the northern part of Morningside Park then, and there was just one maintenance worker for the entire park. As a result, the northern part of
2416-467: A planted lagoon, a lawn at the north end of the park, and a retaining wall with stairways. The design also took into consideration the site's proximity to Central Park, one block away from the southern end of the proposed Morningside Park. The work would cost about $ 816,000. Five days after the plan was presented, the DPP approved it "in principle". Owing to several factors, including work stoppages following
2567-426: A playground as opposed to a passive-recreation space. New York City parks commissioner Charles B. Stover stated that the park's issues, which included hillside erosion and lawn damage, were because the southern area had not been outfitted with proper drainage. Further erosion and deterioration was caused by a large Independence Day celebration in 1912, the erosion of the cliff near Blockhouse No. 4 in 1913, and
2718-513: A preliminary study and map began circulating in March 1873. By that September, Olmsted was assigned to work exclusively on Morningside Park, and he was dropped from his position as superintendent of other parks. Olmsted and Vaux presented their plan, "A Preliminary Report on the Improvement of Morningside Park", to the DPP on October 11, 1873. Because of the limitations of the terrain, the proposed design would emphasize scenery, with balconies,
2869-651: A road on the farm to retreat during the September ;16, 1776, Battle of Harlem Heights , one of the battles of the American Revolutionary War . In the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 , which laid out a grid system for Manhattan island, little regard was given to the topography of the area. Shortly afterward, during the War of 1812 , several blockhouse fortifications were built in the area. The first such fort
3020-618: A small number of low-rise historic buildings from the earlier eras remain. In 2003, Svehlak wrote a manifesto arguing for the landmark designation of "a trilogy" of three contiguous buildings on Washington Street, the thoroughfare that was most closely associated with "Little Syria". These consisted of the Downtown Community House – which hosted the Bowling Green Association to serve the neighborhood's immigrants – 109 Washington Street (an 1885 tenement), and
3171-455: A stone stairway. Another entrance exists at the intersection with Manhattan Avenue, on the east made of Belgian blocks and hexagonal asphalt tiles. The eastern border of the park is formed by Manhattan Avenue, between 110th and 113th Streets, and by Morningside Avenue, between 113th and 123rd Streets. It contains entrances at 112th, 113th, 114th, 116th, 120th, and 123rd Streets, as well as between 117th and 118th Streets. Along
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#17328482101393322-514: A total cost of US$ 1.33 million. In April 1870, the Central Park commission was dissolved and the City of New York obtained jurisdiction over the property. That September, Department of Public Parks (DPP) chief engineer Montgomery A. Kellogg was asked to create a plan for Morningside Park. Over the next year, the city would spend $ 5,500 to conduct surveys of the proposed parkland. Kellogg presented
3473-517: A tower with space for tool storage. Ultimately, a simpler one-story restroom structure was erected in 1904, at a site on 114th Street that had been the original location proposed for the "Restawhile". Many residents and neighborhood organizations strongly opposed an oval stadium, proposed between 118th and 120th Streets in 1909, and the idea was eventually scrapped. In 1913, the Carl Schurz Memorial by Karl Bitter and Henry Bacon
3624-481: Is a 30-acre (12-hectare) public park in Upper Manhattan , New York City, United States. The park is bounded by 110th Street to the south, 123rd Street to the north, Morningside Avenue to the east, and Morningside Drive to the west. A cliff made of Manhattan schist runs through the park and separates Morningside Heights , above the cliff to the west, from Harlem . The park includes other rock outcroppings ;
3775-683: Is cited as a catalyst for the architectural preservation movement in the United States, particularly in New York City. The Mayor's Committee for the Preservation of Structures of Historic and Esthetic Importance was formed in mid-1961 by mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. This committee had dissolved by early 1962. Wagner formed the Landmarks Preservation Commission on April 21, 1962, with twelve unsalaried members. Soon afterward,
3926-520: Is formed by Morningside Drive, which is on top of a large retaining wall that drops sharply to the east. The retaining wall contains gneiss piers topped with granite, and as a parapet fence consisting of granite posts and an iron picket fence. Originally, this section also contained bronze railings, though these were replaced in 1954. At each of the intersections with Morningside Drive, except for those at 113th and 114th Streets, there are "overlook bays" – balconies that slightly overhang
4077-503: Is governed by eleven commissioners. The Landmarks Preservation Law stipulates that a building must be at least thirty years old before the LPC can declare it a landmark. The goal of New York City's landmarks law is to preserve the aesthetically and historically important buildings, structures, and objects that make up the New York City vista. The Landmarks Preservation Commission is responsible for deciding which properties should be subject to landmark status and enacting regulations to protect
4228-472: Is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and culturally significant buildings and sites by granting them landmark or historic district status, and regulating them after designation. It is the largest municipal preservation agency in the nation. As of July 1, 2020 ,
4379-589: The Andrew Carnegie Mansion , Percy R. Pyne House , and Oliver D. Filley House , all of which ultimately became individual landmarks after the LPC's formation. Other structures such as the Van Cortlandt House , Morris–Jumel Mansion , Edgar Allan Poe Cottage , and Dyckman House were preserved as historic house museums during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Advocates also led efforts to preserve cultural sites such as Carnegie Hall , which in
4530-679: The Bowling Green U.S. Custom House , and six buildings at Sailors' Snug Harbor . The first landmark district, the Brooklyn Heights Historic District , was designated in November 1965. Within its first year, the LPC designated 37 landmarks in addition to the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. The LPC's earliest landmarks were mainly selected based on their architecture, and were largely either government buildings, institutions, or structures whose preservation
4681-569: The Palace in mid-1987. Ultimately, 28 additional theaters were designated as landmarks, of which 27 were Broadway theaters. The New York City Board of Estimate ratified these designations in March 1988. Of these, both the interior and exterior of 19 theaters were protected, while only the interiors of seven theaters (including the Lyceum, whose exterior was already protected) and the exteriors of two theaters were approved. Several theater owners argued that
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4832-485: The State Senate and Assembly . That October, Columbia announced it would suspend groundbreaking for the gym until the following year, and by May 1967, university officials were considering changing the plans. Unsatisfied, protesters picketed outside Kirk's home that July, while Harlem officials decried a proposed compromise to build a community swimming pool instead. Undeterred, the Board of Estimate voted to approve
4983-621: The Times , "Morningside Park may now be the city's most crime-ridden, underutilized and dangerous spot." More than a decade after the Columbia gym plan was canceled, the construction fencing remained on the site. The state's department of parks was in talks with Bond, Ryder and Associates for a "redevelopment design" of Morningside Park by 1978 with the West Harlem Community Organization and Morningside Park Coalition participating in
5134-612: The United States Supreme Court upheld the law in Penn Central Transportation Co., et al. v. New York City, et al. , stopping the Penn Central Railroad from altering the structure and placing a large office tower above it. This success is often cited as significant due to the LPC's origins following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station, referred to by some as architectural vandalism. In 1989,
5285-523: The economic depression after the Panic of 1873 , construction on Morningside Park stagnated for 14 years. Nevertheless, work began in 1873, construction progressing on the walks and perimeter walls, as well as on the sewers and lagoon. When work was halted in October 1874, the sewer, pond, walks, and embankments were under construction. A Times article in April 1875 noted that the city's Department of Public Works
5436-502: The "New Amsterdam Market", a regular gathering with vendors selling regional and "sustainable" foodstuffs outside the old Fish Market buildings. The group's chartered organization planned eventually to attempt to reconstitute the "New Market Building", a 1939 structure with an Art Deco façade and that was owned by the city, into a permanent food market. However, a real estate company, the Howard Hughes Corporation , possessed
5587-580: The "Save Our Seaport" community group, the New Amsterdam Market, and the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance. The "Save Our Seaport" group specifically argued that New Market Building was culturally important for its maintenance of the historic fish market for 66 years, and that it offers a "fine example of WPA Moderne municipal architecture (an increasingly rare form throughout the nation)." They had encouraged others to write letters to
5738-404: The "Save Washington Street" group led by St. Francis College student Carl "Antoun" Houck — have continued, especially, to advocate for a hearing on the Downtown Community House , arguing that its history demonstrates the multi-ethnic heritage of the neighborhood, and that its Colonial Revival architecture intentionally links the immigrants to the foundations of the country, and that preserving
5889-583: The 1670s Conference House in Staten Island , where Benjamin Franklin and John Adams attended a conference aimed at ending the Revolutionary War. The LPC helps preserve the city's landmark properties by regulating changes to their significant features. The role of the LPC has evolved over time, especially with the changing real estate market in New York City. Potential landmarks are first nominated to
6040-732: The 17th and 18th centuries, the cliff formed a geopolitical boundary between Harlem to the east and the heights to the west. 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 the North River (now the Hudson River ). To the west of the line were the common lands of the Province of New York , which were sold to Jacob De Key in 1701. Following Harman Vandewater's acquisition of part of
6191-441: The 1950s, there was growing support for preservation of architecturally significant structures. For example, a 1954 study found approximately two hundred structures that could potentially be preserved. At the same time, older structures, especially those constructed before World War I , were being perceived as an impediment to development. The demolition of Pennsylvania Station between 1963 and 1966, in spite of widespread outcry,
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6342-473: The Board of Water Supply applied for a permanent pumping station, though in July 1916 the Board of Aldermen voted instead to build an underground pump structure. Improvements to Morningside Park were also conducted from the 1920s through the 1960s. In its annual report of 1929, NYC Parks reported that much of the vegetation had to be replanted because of neglect or vandalism. By the mid-20th century, Morningside Park
6493-407: The DPP asked Olmsted to create informal plans for Central, Morningside, and Riverside Parks . In response, Olmsted said he would do so only if Vaux was also hired. Ultimately, Olmsted's proposal was voted down, and Kellogg and city parks superintendent Samuel Parsons were asked to report on Olmsted and Vaux's original plan instead. In July, a group of Civil War veterans stayed in the park during
6644-581: The De Key farm by 1735, it was called Vandewater Heights by 1738. Vandewater Heights would then be sold by 1785 to James W. De Peyster. There were disputes over the De Key farm throughout the 18th century, disputes which eventually resulted in the cliffside's being named as the farm's eastern boundary. Meanwhile, Montagne's Flat was owned by several families in the 17th and 18th centuries, some of whom were slaveholders, according to censuses taken in 1790, 1800, and 1810. British Army colonial forces used
6795-486: The Friends of Morningside Park, which supported returning the park to its original design. NYC Parks drew up plans for a $ 12 million restoration of the park between 1987 and 1989. At that point, Columbia had given $ 250,000 toward the renovation, half of what it had pledged toward the restoration of the site. A $ 5 million first phase began in early 1989 and was conducted by a partnership of Quennell Rothschild Associates and Bond Ryder James. It entailed converting
6946-488: The Independence Day weekend, hosting a historical reenactment in which they fired cannons and pretended to storm the blockhouse walls. Though Parsons and Kellogg presented their proposed changes in August 1887, which they believed were feasible with the available $ 250,000 appropriation, local property owners asked that the original plan be used instead. Later that month, the board voted to let Olmsted and Vaux work on
7097-403: The LPC approved plans for the construction of a food kiosk at the southern edge of the park, along West 110th Street. During the same year, neighborhood residents also began advocating for the waterfall to be repaired; at the time, the waterfall had not flowed for four years. Following these requests, Columbia's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science indicated that it would fix
7248-428: The LPC began designating buildings as landmarks. That July, Wagner issued an executive order that compelled municipal agencies to notify the LPC of any "proposed public improvements". The early version of the LPC initially held little power over enforcement, and failed to avert Pennsylvania Station's demolition. As a result, in April 1964, LPC member Geoffrey Platt drafted a New York City Landmarks Law. Outcry over
7399-601: The LPC designated the Ladies' Mile Historic District . The next year marked the first time in the LPC's history that a proposed landmark, the Guggenheim Museum (one of the youngest declared landmarks), received a unanimous vote by the LPC members. The vast majority of the LPC's actions are not unanimously supported by the LPC members or the community; a number of cases including St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church , Bryant Park , and Broadway theatres have been challenged. One of
7550-407: The LPC from citizens, property owners, city government staff, or commissioners or other staff of the LPC. Subsequently, the LPC conducts a survey of properties, visiting sites to determine which structures or properties should be researched further. The selected properties will then be discussed at public hearings where support or opposition to a proposed landmark designation are recorded. According to
7701-418: The LPC has designated more than 37,800 landmark properties in all five boroughs . Most of these are concentrated in historic districts, although there are over a thousand individual landmarks, as well as numerous interior and scenic landmarks. Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. first organized a preservation committee in 1961, and the following year, created the LPC. The LPC's power was greatly strengthened after
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#17328482101397852-432: The LPC to designate landmarks for eighteen months after the law became effective, followed by alternating cycles of three-year hiatuses and six-month "designating periods". In 1973, mayor John Lindsay signed legislation that allowed the LPC to consider landmarks on a rolling basis. The bill also introduced new scenic and interior landmark designations. The first scenic landmark was Central Park in April 1974, while
8003-467: The LPC to support formal designation or district protection. However, in 2013, the LPC declined to hold a hearing to consider this landmark designation or to expand the district. Community Board 1 supports protecting and repurposing the New Market Building, and the Municipal Art Society argued in a report that "[it] has both architectural and cultural significance as the last functioning site of
8154-658: The LPC's designations of these theaters the next year. The three theatrical operators challenged the ruling with the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear the lawsuit in 1992, thus upholding the designations. An LPC-designated historic district for the South Street Seaport has been active since 1977 and was extended on July 11, 1989. After the Fulton Fish Market relocated to the Bronx in 2005, community members, with leadership from organizer Robert Lavalva, developed
8305-460: The Landmarks Law was passed in April 1965, one and a half years after the destruction of Pennsylvania Station . The LPC has been involved in several prominent preservation decisions, including that of Grand Central Terminal . By 1990, the LPC was cited by David Dinkins as having preserved New York City's municipal identity and enhanced the market perception of a number of neighborhoods. The LPC
8456-639: The Landmarks Law were sworn in during June 1965. Platt was the first chairman, serving until 1968. The LPC's first public hearing occurred in September 1965, and the first twenty landmarks were designated the next month. The Wyckoff House in Brooklyn was the first landmark numerically, and was designated simultaneously with structures such as the Astor Library , the Brooklyn Navy Yard's Commandant's House ,
8607-568: The Landmarks Law, which includes alterations to a landmark. In 2016, the preservation commission consolidated its archaeological collection of artifacts and launched a reconstructed archaeology department, known as the NYC Archaeological Repository: The Nan A. Rothschild Research Center. Archaeologists work for the center reviewing the impact of proposed subsurface projects, as well as overseeing any archaeological discoveries. The environmental review department uses data from
8758-559: The Landmarks Preservation Law, a building must be at least thirty years old before the LPC can declare it a landmark. Approval of a landmark designation requires six commissioners to vote in favor. Approved designations are then sent to the New York City Council , which receives reports from other city agencies including the New York City Planning Commission , and decides whether to confirm, modify, or veto
8909-600: The Morningside Park Association twice requested that action be taken to complete the park. After Mould died in 1886, the DPP needed to hire a new architect for Morningside Park. Kellogg submitted new plans for $ 250,000 worth of park improvements in February 1887, at which point the Times reported that only the 116th Street staircase and part of the retaining wall had been completed over the previous fourteen years. These plans were ultimately approved. In June 1887,
9060-690: The NRHP. As of 2007 , the vast majority of interior landmarks are also exterior landmarks or are part of a historic district. The preservation movement in New York City dates to at least 1831, when the New York Evening Post expressed its opposition to the demolition of a 17th-century house on Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan . Before the LPC's creation, buildings and structures were preserved mainly through advocacy, either from individuals or from groups. Numerous residences were saved this way, including
9211-581: The aesthetic and historic nature of these properties. The LPC preserves not only architecturally significant buildings, but the overall historical sense of place of neighborhoods that are designated as historic districts . The LPC is responsible for overseeing a range of designated landmarks in all five boroughs ranging from the Fonthill Castle in the North Bronx , built in 1852 for the actor Edwin Forrest , to
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#17328482101399362-541: The area became well known as Little Syria , hosting immigrants from today's Lebanon , Syria , and Palestine , as well those of many other ethnic groups including Greeks, Armenians, Irish, Slovaks, and Czechs. Due to eminent domain actions associated with the construction of the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel and the World Trade Center , in addition to significant highrise construction in the 1920s and 30s, only
9513-624: The area near the park as Muscota or Muscoota , meaning 'place of rushes'. Dutch settlers occupied Manhattan in the early 17th century and called the area around Morningside Park Vredendal , meaning 'peaceful dale'. The lowlands to the east were called Flacken by the Dutch, and were later translated to "Flats" in English. The land to the east was not settled initially because of its marshy topography. The area became known as Montagne's (or Montayne's) Flat after Johannes de la Montagne, who
9664-403: The bays at the 116th through 120th Street entrances. A security booth at the 116th Street entrance was installed in 2006. The southern border of the park is formed by West 110th Street, also known as Cathedral Parkway. There is an entrance to the park from the intersection of 110th Street and Morningside Drive, within an overlook bay that contains asphalt paving; this leads to
9815-451: The city stipulated that the university would be the sole user of the complex during weekdays between June and October, while it would be open to the public at other times. The fields soon became popular with neighborhood residents. In 1961, new lighting was installed in the southern section of Morningside Park to deter crime. More controversial was Columbia's proposal in January 1960 to erect
9966-499: The completion of the western entrances and overlooks, and the installation of railings and ornamentation. By December 1890, the Real Estate Record and Builders Guide reported that the work was almost done. The Guide said of the park, "It is not very wide, but it is some three-quarters of a mile in length. It has hills and dales and green swards, which, with its imposing terraces, make it peculiarly attractive." Morningside Park
10117-558: The demolition that had occurred in the park. This resulted in the formation of the West Harlem Coalition for Morningside Park. Advocates started focusing on Morningside Park and Olmsted's other parks in 1972, the 150th anniversary of his birth. The West Harlem Coalition hired Lawrence Halprin Associates in 1973, but plans for renovating Morningside Park were postponed after the 1975 New York City fiscal crisis . Huxtable wrote in
10268-716: The designation. Before 1990, the New York City Board of Estimate held veto power, rather than the City Council. After the City Council's final approval, a landmark designation may be overturned if an appeal is filed within 90 days. The New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in 1980 to support the Commission. They sponsor plaques, historic district signs, and street signs. The Landmarks Preservation Commission consists of 11 commissioners, who are unpaid and serve three-year terms on
10419-419: The destruction of part of the overhanging cliff rock in 1915. A request for $ 94,500 toward Morningside Park's renovation was made in 1914, and by 1916, protests had resulted in the reported completion of the renovation. Also in 1914, a fence was installed around part of the park. Further controversy developed in the mid-1910s because of the proposed construction of a Catskill Aqueduct pumping station within
10570-513: The destruction of the Helen Hayes and Morosco theaters. An advisory panel under mayor Koch voted to allow the LPC consider theaters not only on their historical significance but also on their architectural merits. In response to objections from some of the major theatrical operators, several dozen scenic and lighting designers offered to work on the LPC for creating guidelines for potential landmarks. Theaters were landmarked in alphabetical order;
10721-502: The eastern side of the park, was mostly demolished during the failed Columbia University gym construction project. Today, the site includes a waterfall and a pond, built between 1989 and 1993. The waterfall is artificial and uses water pumped using motors from the city's water system. The pond has been frequented by several species of birds, including great blue herons , night herons, red-winged blackbirds , painted turtles , and mallard ducks . The park also contained meadows when it
10872-517: The excavated crater left by the abandoned gymnasium project into a waterfall and ornamental pond, which was the first part of the renovation to be completed in 1989. The pond, part of Olmsted and Vaux's original plan, cost $ 950,000, about three times as much as "standard landscaping". Contractors installed wells to feed the waterfall and the pond. The reconstruction, which focused on the park between 110th and 114th Streets, also included installing new playground equipment, planting trees, creating
11023-499: The expense of expanding the Manhattan street grid across extremely steep terrain. Green enclosed a map by John J. Serrell that modified the Commissioners' Plan to this extent. The Central Park commissioners passed an act on March 26, 1868, allowing the acquisition of lands for parks. Under this act, the commissioners purchased 31.238 acres (12.642 ha), and seized another 0.018 acres (73 m ) through eminent domain , at
11174-565: The faculty of the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation called on Kirk and the trustees to reconsider the gym. Student organizations such as Students for a Democratic Society and the Student Afro-American Society held "sit-ins", and Mayor John Lindsay requested that work be suspended while the protests were ongoing. Students occupied administration and classroom buildings and shut down
11325-491: The first interior landmark was part of the neighboring New York Public Library Main Branch in November 1974. In its first twenty-five years, the LPC designated 856 individual landmarks, 79 interior landmarks, and 9 scenic landmarks, while declaring 52 neighborhoods with more than 15,000 buildings as historic districts . In 1989, when the LPC and its process was under review following a panel created by mayor Edward Koch in 1985,
11476-563: The first theaters to be designated under the 1982 plan were the Neil Simon , Ambassador , and Virginia (now August Wilson) in August 1985. The landmark plan was then deferred temporarily until some landmark guidelines were enacted; the guidelines, implemented in December 1985, allowed operators to modify theaters for productions without having to consult the LPC. Landmark designations of theaters increased significantly in 1987, starting with
11627-509: The former Home for Old Men and Aged Couples; St. Luke's Home for Indigent Christian Females; the former Woman's Hospital; Union Theological Seminary ; and the Church of Notre Dame (L'Eglise de Notre Dame). Several sculptures and structures were installed in Morningside Park after it was completed. In 1900, the statue Lafayette and Washington by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was installed at
11778-481: The gneiss; and Fordham gneiss , an older deeper layer. A large rock formation of Manhattan schist in the park is a visible sign of the bedrock below much of lower and northern Manhattan. Rock outcroppings are prevalent in Morningside Park and nearby Central Park, Marcus Garvey Park , and Riverside Park. Besides the cliff, one large geological feature that remains is a glacial groove at 121st Street, which had been noted as early as 1916. The western border of
11929-520: The important commercial and shipping hub at South Street Seaport." After the September 11 attacks in 2001, New York City tour guide Joseph Svehlak and other local historians became concerned that government-encouraged development in Downtown Manhattan would lead to the disappearance of the last physical heritage of the once "low-rise" Lower West Side of Manhattan. Also known as "Little Syria" in
12080-525: The landmark designations impacted them negatively, despite Koch's outreach to theater owners. The Shubert Organization , the Nederlander Organization , and Jujamcyn Theaters collectively sued the LPC in June 1988 to overturn the landmark designations of 22 theaters on the merit that the designations severely limited the extent to which the theaters could be modified. The New York Supreme Court upheld
12231-416: The last 8-10 years". Several changes to the Landmarks Law were made by the City Council committee that was reviewing the legislation; for example, the committee removed a clause mandating a 400 ft (120 m) protective zone around proposed landmarks. The bill passed the City Council on April 7, 1965, and was signed into law by Wagner on April 20. The first eleven commissioners to take office under
12382-702: The late 1950s was slated for replacement with an office tower. However, early preservation movements often focused on preserving Colonial-style houses, while paying relatively little attention to other architectural styles or building types. There was generally little support for the preservation movement until World War II . Structures such as the City Hall Post Office and Courthouse , Madison Square Presbyterian Church (1906) , and Madison Square Garden (1890) were demolished if they had fallen out of architectural favor. Others, such as St. John's Chapel , were destroyed in spite of support for preservation. By
12533-409: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, the area between Battery Park and the World Trade Center site , east of West Street and west of Broadway , had been a residential area for the shipping elite of New York in the early 19th century, and turned into a substantial neighborhood of ethnic immigration in the mid-19th century. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, centered on Washington Street ,
12684-406: The late 20th century, Morningside Park gained a reputation for high crime rates, and several groups devised plans to renovate the park. The site of the unbuilt Columbia gym was turned into a waterfall and pond in 1990, and the park's arboretum was added in 1998. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated Morningside Park as a scenic landmark in 2008. Morningside Park straddles
12835-414: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Morningside_Park&oldid=908464058 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Morningside Park (Manhattan) Morningside Park
12986-466: The measurements. Contracts for the foundations were awarded in April, while contracts for the western side's entrances and overlooks were awarded to Charles Jones that July. Jones began work on the western border in November 1883 and completed his contract nearly a year later. Meanwhile, in January 1884, Munckwitz began preparing plans for the western steps and entrances, which were approved that October. The Times reported in December 1884 that over $ 71,000
13137-417: The modified design eliminated these, while adding a lawn and a "Restawhile" recreation structure. Olmsted and Vaux had differing visions for Morningside Park: Olmsted believed the area should be kept naturalistic, and advocated the removal of all except one east–west path, while Vaux did not believe that paths would negatively affect the park's purpose. The "General Plan for the Improvement of Morningside Park"
13288-462: The more-than-100-foot (30 m) cliff between the high terrain of Morningside Heights to the west and the lowlands of Harlem to the east. The cliff was created through fault movement and smoothed during several glacial periods in the last several million years. Before the 17th century, when modern-day Manhattan was settled by Europeans, the region had been occupied by the Lenape Native Americans for several thousand years. The Lenape referred to
13439-474: The most controversial properties was 2 Columbus Circle , which remained at the center of a discussion over its future for a number of years. Cultural landmarks, such as Greenwich Village 's Stonewall Inn , are recognized as well not for their architecture, but rather for their location in a designated historic district. In 2015, Stonewall became the first official New York City landmark to be designated specifically based on its LGBT cultural significance. In
13590-439: The necessary architectural and historical significance and that better examples of the settlement house movement and tenements exist in other parts of the city." The activists have said they hope that the LPC under the new mayor will be more receptive to preservation in the neighborhood. Very rarely, a landmark status granted by the LPC has been revoked. Some have been revoked by vote of the New York City Council or before 1990,
13741-414: The new architect of Morningside Park. Mould submitted a plan for the streets in April 1881. The proposal, which was to cost $ 234,000, called for eleven entrances; granite stairs; a retaining wall at Morningside Drive , made of gneiss and ashlar ; overlook balconies ; and railings of granite and cast-and wrought-iron. The plans were approved in August 1881. Mould's final plans for the western side of
13892-578: The next half-century except for the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum and the Leake and Watts Orphan Asylum . By 1866, the state legislature had given the Central Park commissioners the authority to construct streets on Manhattan's west side from 67th to 155th Streets. In 1867, lead Central Park commissioner Andrew Haswell Green proposed that a park be built in Morningside Heights to avoid
14043-429: The next year. The wrought-iron fence on the eastern border was replaced, and the park's hillside restored, in 1962. In a 1955 piece in the Times , one observer noted, "the park was virtually off-bounds to [Columbia University] students and faculty as "too dangerous". At the time, parks commissioner Moses and Columbia president Grayson L. Kirk were discussing allowing Columbia to use part of Morningside Park. The plan
14194-490: The parapets were finished the following December. By June 1894, parks superintendent Parsons had noted that parts of the park were nearly completed. That October, contracts were awarded for the paving of sidewalks. The park's construction was completed in 1895. Vaux, who had remained with the project throughout that time as a consultant, drowned that year in Gravesend Bay . Parsons later wrote that "...perhaps Morningside Park
14345-465: The park below. The bays at 111th and 119th Street contain openings, originally used as rain shelters. All the bays are polygonal shaped, except for the one at 116th Street, which is round and contains the Carl Schurz Monument . From this side, there are entrances at 112th , 113th , 114th , 116th, 118th , 120th , and 122nd Streets, with granite and gneiss stairways leading from
14496-525: The park between 122nd and 123rd Streets is taken up by PS 36, on a rock drop off; this occupies the former site of the ruins of Blockhouse No. 4, which was used as a source of stone until the park's creation. A tablet was placed on the site by the Women's Auxiliary of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society in 1904. Furthermore, part of the cliff was destroyed in 1915. A plateau, on
14647-542: The park to demonstrate its deteriorated conditions and need for funding, and to show that it was safe. Thomas Hoving , one of the parks commissioners who succeeded Moses, said in January 1966 that he was "pretty damned upset" about the deal because it would perpetuate segregation . The planned separate east and west entrances were seen as an attempt to circumvent the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , which banned racially segregated facilities, as Morningside Heights' population
14798-399: The park was completed in 1895. After a period of neglect in the early 20th century, the park received sporting fields and playgrounds between the 1930s and the 1950s. Columbia University proposed constructing a gym in the southern end of the park in the early 1960s; the plan was abandoned after students organized protests against the gym in 1968 , citing concerns over racial segregation. In
14949-464: The park was still overgrown with weeds and frequented by drug addicts. NYC Parks began a renovation of the 116th Street stairs in July 1996 and completed it two years later at a cost of $ 650,000. After the statues were refurbished, the bluestone steps at 116th Street were renovated in 1998. The same year, construction began on the Dr. Thomas Kiel Arboretum in the northern part of the park, named after
15100-451: The park were submitted in September 1882 and plans for the northern, eastern, and southern sides were approved the next month. In January 1883, Julius Munckwitz was asked to create plans for Morningside Park, and Mould was named as his assistant. After Munckwitz's plans were submitted that March, Montgomery A. Kellogg – the DPP chief engineer who had been promoted to engineer of construction – worked on completing
15251-486: The park's eastern border, within the triangle bounded by Manhattan Avenue, Morningside Avenue and 114th Street. At the time, only one structure had been built in the park, a wooden shanty for tool storage. In 1901, a "women's cottage and refreshment room" was approved along with a $ 8,250 appropriation for it, and the following year Barney and Chapman proposed an ornate outhouse in the French Gothic style containing
15402-549: The park's paths. Morningside Dog Run is an enclosed space for dog owners to bring their dogs to play. Consisting primarily of wood chips over dirt, there are two fenced-in areas. The larger section has multiple levels, separated by a step. The dog run is most easily accessible from the east at 114th Street and from the west at either 114th or 116th Streets. There is also a barbecue area at 121st Street. New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission ( LPC )
15553-440: The park, including a sequoia tree. NYC Parks presented a plan to restore the northern section, including the 123rd Street Playground there, in 2011. The playground was renovated in two phases: in 2013 and in 2019. The 118th Street Playground was rebuilt between December 2019 and March 2021 for $ 3.3 million. The waterfall was fixed in 2018, then stopped working shortly afterward. The area around Morningside Park, once
15704-535: The park. Further appropriations of $ 50,000 each were requested in September 1888 and March 1889. Subsequently, Vaux's suggestion to modify Morningside Drive was approved in July 1889, as was Kellogg's request for asphalt, concrete, and gravel for pavings. That September, the DPP voted to proceed with the completion of stairs and overlooks at Morningside Avenue north of 117th Street, in the same design as those built previously. Stairs and walls were finished that December. Further plans, approved in early 1890, called for
15855-404: The park. Three other basketball courts are near the central portion of Morningside Park. To the north are two basketball courts and four handball courts. There are also children's play structures at 110th, 113th, 116th, 118th, and 123rd Streets at the bottom of the cliff, and a restroom at 123rd Street. In addition, New York Road Runners hosts a weekly 3-mile (4.8 km) Open Run along
16006-536: The park. While a temporary structure had existed in the park since at least the early 1910s, the New York Board of Water Supply began construction of a steel-frame pumping station in January 1916. The plans were not public, and had not been authorized by either the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks), the New York City Board of Aldermen , or the Municipal Art Commission. Once
16157-399: The plan. The plan was modified to accommodate changed conditions, like the construction of an elevated railway station at 116th Street and Eighth Avenue . Among other changes, the modified design included a broad path and a thin path traversing the lower portion of the park. Initially, Olmsted and Vaux had proposed a southeastern entrance plaza, a lagoon, and an exhibition hall;
16308-469: The plans in October 1967, and despite further protests that November, construction began in February 1968. At the time, The New York Times architecture writer Ada Louise Huxtable said, "the real tragedy of the whole Columbia gym affair is that this dubious and even harmful project has been carried out in good faith." Columbia students and faculty amplified their opposition to the gym project in mid-1968, resulting in major student protests . That April,
16459-413: The poor soil in the original plan of the park, "fine trees" could not grow there. By the 1910s, vandalism, erosion, and crowds had caused damage to many of the plantings. Major landscaping projects took place in 1929, 1941, 1962, and 2006. Morningside Park contains several sporting fields, which were mostly built starting in the 1930s. Two baseball fields and a basketball court are at the southern end of
16610-586: The proposed destruction of the Brokaw Mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side , identified by the LPC as a possible landmark, inspired Wagner to send the legislation to the New York City Council in mid-1964. The law, introduced in the City Council that October, would significantly increase the LPC's powers. The City Council cited concerns that "the City has been and is undergoing the loss and destruction of its architectural heritage at an alarming rate, especially so in
16761-418: The proposed school site at Morningside Park be disapproved, but in February 1964, the Board of Estimate approved the plan anyway and rezoned 1.35 acres (0.55 ha) from parkland to educational use. Frederick G. Frost, Jr. & Associates designed the structure, known as PS 36 Margaret Douglas Elementary School, as a concrete-and-brick educational complex atop a stone base and rock outcroppings. The school
16912-486: The protection of the historic building. A group of community activists formed the "Save Our Seaport Coalition" to advocate that the New Market Building be incorporated into the historic district set by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, in addition to calling for the protection of public space in the neighborhood and for support for the seaport's museum. This group included the Historic Districts Council ,
17063-429: The public learned of plans for the structure, several civil engineers and associations organized opposition to the project. The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum , filed a lawsuit to stop construction of the pump building that February. Shortly afterward, New York Supreme Court justice Edward R. Finch issued an injunction to stop the project temporarily, citing the project's status as an "illegal encroachment". Ultimately,
17214-553: The redesign process. In 1981, as part of the "Olmsted Project", the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) held two shows that depicted Morningside Park, including a Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit. At that time, Morningside Park was being considered by the LPC for scenic landmark status, but this was opposed by residents and activists wanted to redesign the park. The same year, Thomas Kiel and other Columbia undergraduates founded
17365-832: The research and archaeology departments to collect reports for governmental agencies that require environmental review for their projects. Finally, the Historic Preservation Grant Program distributes grants to owners of landmark properties designated by the LPC or on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). As of May 1, 2024 , there are more than 37,900 landmark properties in New York City, most of which are located in 150 historic districts in all five boroughs. The total number of protected sites includes 1,460 individual landmarks, 121 interior landmarks, and 12 scenic landmarks. Some of these are also National Historic Landmark (NHL) sites, and many are on
17516-487: The same time as the Columbia controversy, another dispute arose after the New York State Legislature designated the northwestern corner of Morningside Park as the site of a public elementary school in 1963. Both Mayor Wagner and borough president Edward R. Dudley supported this initiative; Dudley said the site was "rubbish-strewn and a danger spot for children", even though the Municipal Art Commission argued it
17667-456: The sidewalk is a wrought-iron picket fence with stone piers, which was originally installed in 1915 and replaced in 1962. Morningside Park's distinctive natural geography is a rugged cliff of Manhattan schist rock. The geology is similar to that of Central Park and contains, from top to bottom: Manhattan schist, metamorphosed sedimentary rock ; Lowerre quartzite , a metamorphosed rock; Inwood marble , metamorphosed limestone which overlays
17818-469: The sidewalk is a wrought-iron picket fence with stone piers, which was originally installed in 1915 and replaced in 1962. A group of seventeen London plane trees are next to the Lafayette and Washington statue. The northern border of the park is formed by West 123rd Street. There is an entrance plaza from the northwestern corner of the park, which is paved with concrete and flanked with stone posts. Along
17969-480: The sidewalks were asphalt until 1911; as of 2008 , they consist of Belgian blocks and concrete and contain trees. There are at least seventeen entrances to the park. The closest New York City Subway stations to the park are Cathedral Parkway–110th Street and 116th Street , both served by the B and C trains; the park is also served by MTA Regional Bus Operations ' M3 , M4 , M7 , M10 , M11 , and M116 routes. The park's western border
18120-450: The site of the Leake and Watts Orphan Asylum. The Bloomingside Asylum moved out of the area in 1888 after protests over the asylum's presence, and three colleges moved to the site: Columbia College (now part of Columbia University ), Teachers College , and Barnard College . Other institutions that moved to Morningside Heights following the park's completion included: St. Luke's Hospital ,
18271-468: The south of the ball fields and at the park's northeast corner were renovated. The ball fields and northern section's scenery were restored in 2006, and construction began on a playground north of 116th Street in 2007. This playground was completed in late 2008. Morningside Park was designated a New York City landmark in 2008, decades after similar statuses had been conferred upon Central and Riverside Parks. The next year, more trees were planted within
18422-407: The stairs were made of bluestone with rockwork edging on the outer portions. Benches, lights, railings, fences, and stone walls were added over the years; the rockwork edging was replaced. The northern meadow's paths were rebuilt in 1940–1941, while the paths around PS 36 and the unbuilt Columbia gym were reconfigured or removed in the late 1960s. With the waterfall's construction, the paths at
18573-593: The terra-cotta St. George's Syrian Catholic Church . After years of advocacy, in January 2009, the LPC held a hearing about the landmark designation of the Melkite church, which did succeed. However, under Chairman Robert Tierney, the LPC had declined to hold hearings on the Downtown Community House or 109 Washington Street. Community and preservation groups — including the "Friends of the Lower West Side" and
18724-473: The three buildings together would tell a coherent story of an overlooked, but important ethnic neighborhood. In addition to national Arab-American organizations, Manhattan Community Board 1 and City Councilperson Margaret Chin have also advocated for the LPC to hold a hearing on the Downtown Community House . According to the Wall Street Journal , however, the LPC argues that "the buildings lack
18875-541: The unbuilt gym site were rebuilt from 1989 to 1993. Some of the stairs have been renovated over the years. The plantings in Morningside Park were designed at several stages of the park's development. Accounts vary on whether plantings were present before the park was built; in 1871, park engineer Montgomery A. Kellogg called the area a "barren piece of ground", Samuel Parsons described the site as having "a considerable amount of native growth", albeit limited mainly to vines, herbs, and shrubs. Parsons also stated that because of
19026-402: The university for several weeks. The Columbia faculty formed a committee to intervene after a large 2,500-person protest on April 30, which involved a New York City Police Department raid at several buildings. Meanwhile, parks commissioner August Heckscher II said that if Columbia was to drop its plans, he would have a community recreation center built at the site. The same month, $ 500,000
19177-401: The waterfall. Columbia and NYC Parks also began researching the algae in the park's pond in mid-2023, and the waterfall began flowing again in late 2024. Morningside Park covers approximately 30 acres (12 ha) in Upper Manhattan , New York City. The park is irregularly shaped and follows a largely north–south alignment, though the northern portion of the park curves westward. All of
19328-413: Was allocated for restorations to the park, and the new Morningside Park Preservation Committee filed a lawsuit alleging the misuse of parkland. Kirk resigned in August 1968 because of the protests and was replaced as Columbia president by Andrew W. Cordier . Under his leadership, Columbia's trustees studied possible new sites for the gym before voting in March 1969 to cancel the project altogether. At
19479-441: Was also constructed in 1935; it was expanded with extra equipment in 1941, including athletic courts, a wading pool, exercise structure, swings, slides, and a children's play area. Also, by 1941, rock outcroppings on the south lawn were removed to make way for softball fields. During this era, a proposal to rename Morningside Park to " Franz Boas Park" was rejected by parks commissioner Robert Moses . The 1904 restroom structure
19630-520: Was among the first European settlers of New Harlem in 1658; he owned about 200 acres (81 ha) between what is now 109th and 124th Streets. The western boundary of the area was the cliff, while the eastern boundary was a creek that emptied east into the East River . Montagne's Flat was subdivided into lots in 1662, and four years later a new charter for New Harlem was given to the English, who had seized New Netherland , renaming it New York. Through
19781-503: Was approved by the New York City Board of Estimate in December 1955, and soon after, Moses and Manhattan borough president Hulan Jack announced that Columbia would build a comfort station/field house, storage building, and athletic complex on a 3.5-acre (1.4 ha) section of the park. The athletic complex contained two fields for softball, three for football, and one for soccer and was opened in May 1957. The arrangement between Columbia and
19932-411: Was approved by the DPP in October 1887, and a request for $ 250,000 in bonds was approved by the Board of Estimate the following month. In mid-1888, contracts were awarded for earth and rock filling, and for the construction of basins, walls, and stairs in the southern portion of the park. Vaux suggested widening the roadbed and narrowing the eastern sidewalk of Morningside Drive, on the western side of
20083-505: Was atop the ruins of Blockhouse No. 4. After the City Planning Commission proposed another site several blocks to the east, neighborhood groups alleged the plan would further segregation since the mostly minority population of Harlem would be unable to reach the school. Other neighborhood groups opposed the use of Morningside Park for anything other than recreational use. The City Planning Commission's chairman recommended that
20234-416: Was built between 1965 and 1966 and was the first in the city designed solely for early elementary grades, serving kindergarten through second grade. Even by the 1960s, Morningside Park had a reputation for being unsafe and unsanitary. After the Columbia protests ended, Morningside Park was the site of several murders, muggings, and other crimes, furthering its notoriety. Litter lined the park, and it became
20385-454: Was built in what is now Central Park, and three other blockhouses numbered 2, 3, and 4 were erected within present-day Morningside Park. The blockhouses at Morningside Park were along the cliff and were numbered from north to south: No. 2 at 113th–114th Streets, No. 3 at 121st Street, and No. 4 at 123rd Street. These would not be used in battle and were left to deteriorate. Morningside Heights would remain sparsely developed for
20536-427: Was constructed. These were at the south end from 110th to 114th Streets; in the central section from 116th to 120th Streets; and at the northeast corner. They were developed as playgrounds and playing fields in the mid-20th century and the rock outcroppings were destroyed. The central and northern meadows were redeveloped as playgrounds while the southern meadow was converted to sports fields. Morningside Park
20687-479: Was demolished in 1952, except for its western wall, at which point jagged-topped stone barriers were erected next to paths in the park. Two years later, the bronze railings on the western and southern borders were replaced with iron picket fences . A playground on Morningside Avenue between 116th and 119th Streets was finished in 1956, while sandboxes were installed on the Morningside Drive overlook balconies
20838-422: Was designed with many paths and plantings. The paths usually followed the topography, though there are several locations where stone steps connect paths at different locations. There are stone stairs connecting the two portions of 120th Street, and between 116th Street on the west side of the park and 114th Street on the east side. The paths were made originally of gravel, concrete, and asphalt, while
20989-585: Was even considered briefly for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, which ultimately occurred in Chicago. Plans for walls and railings at 110th Street (the southern border) and Morningside Drive (the western border) were approved in October 1890, followed by the awarding of a contract for them in February 1892. Because of delays in constructing the steps, two time extensions were awarded in August and October 1891. Meanwhile, pavings were completed in May 1891 and
21140-539: Was first proposed by the Central Park commissioners in 1867, and the city commissioned Central Park's designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux to produce a design for the park in 1873. Jacob Wrey Mould was hired to design new plans in 1880, but little progress occurred until Olmsted and Vaux were asked to modify the plans following Mould's death in 1886. The Lafayette and Washington , Carl Schurz Monument , and Seligman Fountain sculptures were installed after
21291-514: Was largely white while Harlem's was largely Black. The University's administration under Grayson Kirk denied that this reflected racial bias and stressed that greater park services would benefit the Harlem community. In March 1966, the University's student council passed a resolution asking the University to reconsider the gym plans, and two months later, bills to ban its construction were introduced in
21442-503: Was laying roads and sidewalks west and east of the park. Little work was performed in the next five years, except for the construction of roads. On June 16, 1880, the Legislature passed a law allowing the city's Department of Public Works to finish the roads, sidewalks, and retaining walls near Morningside Park. That September, the Legislature appointed Jacob Wrey Mould , who had previously been involved in Central Park's design, as
21593-459: Was needed for the park. Though Munckwitz quit the DPP in mid-1885, he continued working with the project as a consultant. By February 1885, the stairways on the western border at 110th, 116th, and 120th Streets were being built. That May, Michael McGrath won a contract to build granite steps, brick arches, and other ornamentation at the 110th and 116th Street entrances on the western border and at four intermediate overlook bays. The park
21744-529: Was perceived as dangerous. Because of its proximity to Harlem, a largely Black neighborhood, crime in the park was perceived as signs of a racial conflict. In 1935 The New York Times reported that the Teachers College of Columbia University had posted a sign in a dormitory informing students "it is not safe to enter Morningside Park at any time of the day or night." The Times also reported residents were concerned that "unemployed destitute" individuals posed
21895-450: Was placed in the park, followed the next year by Edgar Walter's Seligman (Bear and Faun) Fountain . Morningside Park quickly began to deteriorate, and complaints of vandalism were recorded as early as 1905. The sidewalks around the park were paved in 1911. When the city proposed to "popularize" Central Park in 1911, local residents complained that Morningside Park had been neglected, was crime-ridden, and had declined because of its use as
22046-511: Was rejected by the Board of Commissioners for Public Parks. In April 1872, the DPP created a committee to discuss possible upgrades to the street to the park's west side, and Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux , who had designed Central Park's Greensward Plan , were commissioned to produce a design for the park. In a September 1872 article, the Times predicted that the construction of Morningside Park and its proximity to Broadway and Central Park would raise property values nearby. Talk of
22197-483: Was still a widespread perception of danger, and that the park needed additional security measures and better management. By 2001, Morningside Park's condition had improved because of ongoing reconstruction projects, and it was no longer considered as dangerous an area as it had been in the 1970s. That year, a master plan for the park was approved. Several stairs and entrances were rebuilt, including at or near 114th, 116th, 120th, and 122nd Streets, and playgrounds to
22348-432: Was still in a rural state, as indicated in the Times that same year, which reported that police were capturing cows for illegally grazing in the park and fining local dairymen for pasturing their herds. Following this, the DPP ordered that all signs and other "defacements" be removed from the park site. By mid-1886, several local entities were expressing frustration at the lack of progress at Morningside Park. For instance,
22499-528: Was the most consummate piece of art that [Vaux] had ever created." The completion of Morningside Park was concurrent with the development of nearby Morningside Heights; the park's construction had necessarily resulted in the creation of the neighborhood's street grid, and several institutions relocated to the area. The first of these included the Cathedral of St. John the Divine whose construction began in 1892 on
22650-434: Was to cost $ 9 million, of which $ 1 million was donated in May 1962 by alumnus Francis S. Levien . The project faced some opposition by 1964 because of Columbia's rapid expansion. Some residents denounced the proposed Morningside Park construction as a "land grab", while others protested the proposed gentrification that would accompany such expansion. Subsequently, in March 1964, neighborhood associations and officials toured
22801-811: Was unlikely to be controversial. As a result, several prominent buildings were destroyed in the first several years of the LPC's existence, such as the Singer Building and the New York Tribune Building . Other structures, such as the Villard Houses and Squadron A Armory , were saved only partially. The LPC was headquartered in the Mutual Reserve Building from 1967 to 1980, and in the Old New York Evening Post Building from 1980 to 1987. The original legislation enabled
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