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Anyone Have $43 Million To Save The World's Fair Pavilion?
By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 19, 2013
Modified Nov 19, 2013
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Nov 19, 2013
Modified Nov 19, 2013
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Photo via mattron's flickr
Over the decades we've watched the site of the 1964/1965 World's Fair slowly crumble into a heartbreaking but beautiful state of decay. One of the last remaining pieces (aside from the unisphere, the time capsule... and the underground home?) is the New York State Pavilion. For now.
Yesterday Parks Department officials told Queens residents that saving the beloved structure would cost at least $43 million (you know who has that kind of dough? Johnny Cats!) This would include the Tent of Tomorrow and its three observation towers (which were all designed by Philip Johnson), and that money would only go towards preserving it all—if we wanted to transform it into something new, it would cost about another $30 million.
Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski says, "They are in need of repair but they are not immediately falling down. So we have time to have some really reasonable dialogue." So expect this to go on forever... And yes, The Pavilion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
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new york state pavilion
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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