Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park Watchtower Restored, City Says

HARLEM, NY — City officials celebrated the completed restoration of Manhattan's last-remaining fire watchtower in Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park.

The $7.9 million project to restore the Mount Morris Fire Watchtower brought the historic structure, which dates back to 1856, in line with modern engineering standards, city Parks Department officials said. The tower now features brand-new stainless steel components, cross bracing systems and a completely restored roof configured in the same style as the tower's original roof.

The Acropolis, Marcus Garvey Park's central plaza where the watchtower is located, was also re-paved during the restoration project.

"The Mount Morris Fire Watchtower stands at the pinnacle of Harlem’s rich culture and serves as a monument to the neighborhood’s storied history. It gives me great pleasure to unveil the renovated tower and surrounding plaza, which serves as an important resource for the community," New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver said in a statement

Restoration efforts at the watchtower began in 2015 with a $1.6 million project to dismantle unsafe portions of the structure. Former City Councilmember Inez Dickens and Comptroller Scott Stringer allocated funds to the project. The $7.9 million restoration had multiple backers including Mayor Bill de Blasio, Dickens, City Councilmember Bill Perkins and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer.

Harlem residents petitioned the city to build the watchtower in the 19th century. The project was completed in 1856 and was the third of Manhattan's eventual 11 fire watchtowers. The watchtowers were decommissioned in 1878, but the Mount Morris Fire Watchtower remained standing. The structure was designated a city landmark in the 1960s and place on the National Register of Historic Places in the 1970s.

"Neighbors and park users often share their memories with me, of first kisses or stories of their grandparents courting up on the Acropolis. Others recall playing there on their way home from school. I hear in their voices the importance of this unique place," Connie Lee, Marcus Garvey Park Alliance President, said in a statement. "The return of the Fire Watchtower also returns the Acropolis to the community. I look forward to helping the community to reclaim this space."