13. The Dalton Exterior

Dalton’s understated, yet elegant facade serves as a daily welcome to the Dalton community.

“The façade of Dalton’s 89th Street building represents all that it holds inside. Any student can easily recall entering and exiting the building each day alongside other students of all ages, from all backgrounds — each with a common purpose. Today, just seeing that structure, with clusters of students huddled on either side of the entryway, depending on the season, transports me back to my Dalton days.

Although well camouflaged in its residential 89th street surroundings, Dalton’s iconic exterior serves as a daily reminder of the school’s values and character. Understated, yet elegant, the front of the building invites students to come in and take advantage of all the school has to offer. The building’s red-brick foundation reflects the warmth of the Dalton community, while the stark capital letters of the school’s name proclaim the school’s historic legacy.

Right in the center is a towering, two-story archway, mirroring the arch students pass through at the end of each year. Walking under it every morning reminds students that each day at Dalton is a new beginning, with its own unique possibilities.”
—Stephen Rutman ’10

Starting in 2019, if you look up before entering the school, you may notice that Dalton’s facade on the upper floors has changed. The exterior stucco has been re-clad in brick for a more uniform look. Two stories have been added, floors 11–14 will house the School’s new STEAM center, named the Ellen C. Stein Center for Collaborative Study. In the case of Dalton’s expansion, bigger is definitely better!