4. Buell Hall at Columbia University (515 W 116th Street, Morningside Heights)

The Bloomingdale Insane Asylum once occupied much of what is now the Columbia University Main Campus. In 1821, the asylum opened its doors, and twenty years later, when the New York City Lunatic Asylum opened for the destitute, Bloomingdale essentially became reserved for wealthier patients (although it failed to offer better treatment). The hospital grounds eventually became filled with gardens and walkways to assist with the patients’ recuperation. In the 1880’s, the asylum’s properties were sold off to different institutions in Morningside Heights, including Columbia University. Today, the only remaining building from Bloomingdale is Buell Hall, which houses the university’s Maison Française French cultural center and some architectural galleries.