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Morningside Heights

Morningside Heights is known as the academic center of New York. It’s not only the site of Columbia University, it’s also home to Barnard College, Bank Street College of Education, Teachers College, Union Theological Seminary, Jewish Theological Seminary, and the Manhattan School of Music. Called SoHa (“South of Harlem”) by some who would like to see the area be as hip as SoHo, the area contains the bookstores, cafés, bars, and restaurants necessary to support university life. It also has the typical diversity that accompanies university neighborhoods, which is enhanced by a large Latino population.

The tone for the architectural style of the neighborhood originally was set by Columbia University. When it built the Morningside Heights campus in 1897, its impressive buildings were regarded as premiere examples of Italian Renaissance architecture. Since that time, Columbia has deviated from their original architectural style when constructing new buildings, much to the chagrin of some of their neighbors. But there are other structures that help keep the area’s architectural standards high. The ornate, marble Grant’s Tomb is in Morningside Heights, as are the magnificent Riverside Church and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which is the largest cathedral in the world.

Thanks to the standard set by these institutions, Morningside Heights is one of Manhattan’s most architecturally distinguished communities. It’s filled with large and beautiful townhouses, which were originally built as single-family homes. Most now have been sub-divided into one- and two-bedroom or studio apartments and co-ops, or have been taken over for institutional use by the area universities.

Healthcare facilities in the Morningside Heights:

St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center