The Avalon Morningside park is a luxury apartment building constructed in 2007 on a piece of land that formerly constituted part of the grounds of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of New York City.

The building, a twenty-story glass tower, looms over the Cathedral Close

Cathedral Close

A cathedral close is an architectural term referring to the series of buildings that serve as appendages to a cathedral. These may include buildings housing diocesan offices, schools, free-standing chapels associated with the cathedral, and the houses of the bishop and other clergy associated with...

 and dominates the view westward from Morningside Park that was formerly focused on the sculpture of the Angel Gabriel

Angel Gabriel

Angel Gabriel may refer to:*The Archangel Gabriel*The Angel Gabriel , an English galleon that sank off Pemaquid, Maine...

 blowing his horn that stands atop the Cathedral. It is higher than the Cathedral, and completely obscures the view of the Cathedral from the southeast. It is also in a totally non-conforming architectural style, despite assurances from the Cathedral Administration that any construction would have height limitations and would conform.

The Cathedral retains ownership of the land, which is leased on a 99-year lease to the AvalonBay Communities. The diocese has explained that it was in desperate need of the $130 million generated by the project, which aroused considerable opposition in the surrounding community.

External links

• http://www.avalonmorningsidepark.com/