Built as the Administrative Center of the New York City Lunatic Asylum in 1837-39, Octagon Tower was designed by the prominent architect, Alexander Jackson Davis. One of the first municipal institutions of its type in the country, the site was selected because the pleasant island surroundings were thought to be conducive to both physical and mental rehabilitation. During the 1890's, the building became the entrance to Metropolitan Hospital, a general hospital known for its school of nursing and care of tuberculosis patients. The building was abandoned in the 1950's and the wings were demolished in 1970. Restored by Becker & Becker in 2006, the domed gneiss structure is a city, state and national landmark.