Dedicated to revitalizing and preserving our Historic District and beyond, to fostering an environment of open and active opportunities, and to reflecting a spectrum of voices, ideas and opinions of those who share the neighborhood.
MMPCIA has continued to advocate for and keep pace with the changing face of the community and its ever-evolving needs.
We are dedicated to revitalizing the expanded Historic District and beyond and to foster an environment of open and active opportunities. We support neighborhood beautification, programs for our youth and our seniors, and scholarships for the next generation of leaders. We reflect the spectrum of voices, ideas and opinions of those who share the neighborhood.
Proposed, Mount Morris Park District by NYC Landmarks Commission
Unofficially, the Mount Morris Park neighborhood was vigilant and active for decades. Committed residents like Hilda Stokely were very instrumental in securing landmark status for the Fire Watch Tower in Marcus Garvey Park in 1967.
(Harold Dolly, Dr. Thelma Adair and others picketed, protested and succeeded in foiling (in the late ‘60s and ‘70s and again in the mid- ‘80s) the State’s taking of nine brownstones on Mount Morris Park West for a home for wayward boys, a drug rehab facility and finally an extension of the prison on the corner. The result—in 1971 the buildings were landmarked, and Mount Morris Park was designated New York City’s 18th Historic District.
The park was created in 1840 and was originally named for Robert Morris, then the mayor of New York City. It was renamed after black activist and businessman Marcus Garvey in 1973.
Mount Morris PARK COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT Association Officially founded
MMPCIA began opening our doors and inviting New Yorkers from across the island and tourists from around the world into our homes.
The site sits adjacent to a row of late-1800’s brownstones so deteriorated they have come to be known as “The Ruins”.
Established a scholarship program for local families to help college bound high school students pay for some of their college expenses
Successfully lobbied for traffic lights on Mount Morris Park West to manage the flow of traffic and improve pedestrian and driver safety.
Construction began in late 2014 and ended in December 2019 when the watchtower was reopened for the public.
