Built between 1896 and 1928 and now a designated historical landmark, The Beaux Arts quintet of 30 Morningside—four pavilion towers and central carriage house— were originally designed by noted architect Ernest Flagg in eclectic turn-of-the-century French style with classical lines and symmetry accented with bravura gothic flourishes.
In the late 19th century, a city surveyor appraising the surrounding land found one spot he deemed unsuitable for anything other than a city park. This particular park was situated on the east side of a hill, perfectly positioned for a nice wash of sunlight every morning. In 1870, the city named it “Morning Side Park,” and today, Morningside Heights is a vibrant cultural and intellectual enclave whose current boundaries are 110th to 125th streets, and from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River.