If you are a New Yorker, then you are probably aware of the long-standing history of The City College of the City University of New York or, The City College of New York (CCNY). CCNY is a public college in New York City part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. City College was the first free public school of higher education in the United States and was founded in 1847 by Townsend Harris. let’s know about “Does City College Have a Campus?”
About City college
City College is the oldest of the 25 institutions under CUNY, which comprises 25 colleges and universities. CCNY was the first free public college in the United States. The college runs undergraduate, graduate, and continuing programs. City College is ranked 148 in national universities and ranked number one out of 369 selected public colleges in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education. City College caters to more than 13,000 undergraduate students and over 3,000 graduate students. The school’s colors are purple, gray, and white, with the school’s mascot being Benny the Beaver.
Does City college have a campus?
Yes, the City College of New York does have a school campus. The school’s 35-acre Collegiate Gothic campus, located in Hamilton Heights, spans Convent Avenue from 130th to 141st street and overlooks Harlem in Manhattan. It was designed by a renowned architect, George B. Post, and several of its structures are recognized as landmarks. The school has quite an illustrious view of Amsterdam Park on its west side. At present, it consists of 13 college buildings and the New York State Structural Biology Center, and two research buildings and is located in an urban area.
A Brief History of The Campus in the North
The Collegiate Gothic campus of CCNY in Manhattanville, which replaced a downtown campus, was founded in 1906. According to the history of the college, the neo-Gothic designs of the college buildings are outstanding features of the English Perpendicular Gothic style, and they are among the early structures in the United States to be constructed in this unique style as a whole campus. The Gothic Quadrangle buildings were officially opened in 1903. The upper Manhattan campus, which was opened in 1906, had five original neo-gothic buildings. They were:
- Shepard Hall
- Wingate Hall
- Baskerville Hall
- Compton Hall and:
- Harris Hall.
Now, here is a brief history of each of these halls that make City College’s campus really great.
- Shepard Hall with the full name of the building, Edward M. Shepard. This hall is the largest and most important structure on the north campus. It was designed in the gothic cathedral style, with its main entrance located on St. Nicholas Terrace. It contains a large chapel assembly hall known as the Great Hall. This hall has a mural painted by Edwin Blashfield with the title “The Graduate.” On Convent Avenue, across the street from the campus quadrangle, Shepard Hall stands alone.
- Wingate Hall was named after George Wood Wingate, who was part of the 1858 class and was a lawyer and fitness advocate. Between the years 1907 to 1972, the Wingate Hall was the college’s main gymnasium.
- Baskerville Hall was called the chemical building. This is because it has hosted the chemistry department for a really long time and contains one of the largest lecture rooms on the campus, the Doremus Lecture Hall. Baskerville hall currently accommodates The High School for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering (HSMSE).
- The Mechanical Arts Hall was originally designated at Compton Hall. Harris Hall, originally known as the Sub-Freshman building, once held City College’s preparatory high school, Townsend High School. It was then relocated downtown to the School of Business.
There was actually a sixth hall that was not part of the original five neo-gothic halls.
- Goethals Hall, which was founded in the year 1930, was named after George Washington Goethals, who was a civil engineer alumni of CCNY. This hall was home to the School of Technology and is located next to Compton Hall, the Mechanical Arts building.
Campus Life at CCNY
Yes, City College offers accommodation on campus. This is a crucial point to consider for non-residents and international students that prefer living in school. The TOWERS is a campus apartment-style hall that encourages students to make the most of their time in college. If you are worried about safety, do not worry. At the 24-hour surveillance desk, all student residents are given an access card, and closed-security cameras are installed throughout the building. Being a resident at CCNY’s towers cost about $12,840 to $20,000 per year, depending on the floor plan you prefer.
The food on campus is delicious and has a variety of options. From the Campus deli to Halal, you are sure to have quality meals every time. And what is college without parties? Some people even say City College is a party school. There are lots of party options to choose from any time from Wednesday to Saturday and even some okay frat parties that are strictly for the weekends. In CCNY, the biggest parties of the year are Tipico night and the end of the semester party.
This is definitely one way to make the most of your college years and make new friends. There is never a time in City College.
Conclusion
In conclusion, City College does have a very beautiful and unique campus with a long-standing and rich history. City College is inextricably linked to New York’s urban and cultural energies and also its history. So, there is no talking of New York without mentioning The City College. The ambience of the school’s campus is something straight out of a movie. If you do school at City College of New York or just happen to be around the neighborhood, make sure to take a lot of aesthetic photos and make the most of your time at the school. Things change, and who knows what new buildings would be built in, say, 100 years
