The Octagon, Former mental asylum in Roosevelt Island, Manhattan, US
The Octagon features a five-story rotunda constructed from blue-gray stone with a central tower leading into a dome and a spiral staircase inside.
The New York City Lunatic Asylum opened in 1839 as one of the first mental health institutions in America, designed by architect Alexander Jackson Davis.
Journalist Nellie Bly exposed the conditions at the asylum through her 1887 investigation, documented in her book Ten Days in a Mad-House.
The restored building now serves as an entrance to a 500-unit residential complex with amenities including a pool, playground, tennis courts, and sports fields.
The structure incorporates sustainable technology with solar panels and fuel cells generating over 50 percent of the building's power requirements.
Location: Manhattan
Architects: Alexander Jackson Davis
Website: http://octagonnyc.com/bldgHistory.asp
GPS coordinates: 40.76901,-73.94392
Latest update: May 27, 2025 09:52
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