Harmony Hall

Harmony Hall is an undergraduate dormitory located at 544 W. 110th Street. It holds the distinction of being the undergraduate dormitory furthest from campus (apart from some Barnard-specific dorms). Until 2009, Harmony was a Law School and GSAS-only dormitory, offering dirt cheap corridor living to budget conscious students as an alternative to the more expensive University Apartment Housing. While Housing Services has compared the building's layout to River Hall, the two buildings differ in one very important respect- River was the recipient of a $10 million gut renovation in 2000 making it one of the most modern and desirable dormitories at the school. Harmony, by contrast, will merely receive a fresh coat of paint when it is converted to undergraduate housing.

History

The building was originally built in 1928 as a clubhouse for The Explorers Club. However, the Great Depression scuttled the club's plans to finance their building through steady rental income from subletting the upper 5 stories of bedrooms in the building, and they left in 1932. The building eventually came into the possession of Columbia. One can still see the heritage of the building in the allegorical portraits representing the continents on its façade.

Facilities

76 singles and 7 doubles of varying size are located corridor-style on 8 floors in the building. There are separate men’s and women’s bathrooms on most floors and co-ed bathrooms on floors 5 and 6. Each floor has a kitchen with a full-sized refrigerator, sink, and stove, and a common area with a flat-screen television attached to the kitchen.There is a laundry room in the basement, and 2 printing stations in the main lobby. There is bicycle storage in the basement.

A significant number of the singles are under 100 sq. ft and go as low as 76 sq ft. This makes it likely that Harmony Hall will be a dormitory of last resort for sophomores desperate for singles.

Savvy students will observe that Harmony Hall is 9 stories tall, taller than the buildings immediately adjacent to, and behind it, meaning opportunities for well lit rooms in the building do exist.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• A few large singles (some up to 150 sq. ft.).
• High floors have a fair amount of light.
• Fresh coat of paint on walls.
• Flat screen TVs in lounges.
• Pre-war building façade.

Disadvantages

• Far from campus. The schlep to Pupin and Mudd is more than half a mile and to EC, roughly 7/10 a mile. If you're a person who runs late, this might not be the best choice for you (you always have the option of paying $2.25 to take the subway). Some previous residents wondered if this housing option was worth the walk to and from campus. Expect a long walk for anything social - as most dorms are several blocks away.
• There is no air conditioning, so expect a fair amount of street noise from 110th Street and Broadway intersection when opening windows.
• Many inhumane tiny singles, some as small as 76 sq. ft. (about 30% smaller than most John Jay singles).
• Lounge areas are very small.
• Only one elevator. It's old-style and slow, so many would take the stairs to the eighth floor rooms because of impatience.
• Cockroach, rat, and other vermin problems have been reported by previous residents, especially on lower floors and basement areas.
• As a pre-war building, expect all the problems you would with a non-renovated pre-war building: hot water running out periodically, heating on too high, lack of full soundproofing.

External links

[Columbia Housing - Harmony http://www.columbia.edu/cu/housing/docs/residence-halls/harmony/index.html]

Map

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