Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Photos: A First Look At The NYC AIDS Memorial
By
Scott Lynch
Published Dec 4, 2016
Modified Dec 5, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist
View all 8
By
Scott Lynch
Published Dec 4, 2016
Modified Dec 5, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
After more than five years of construction the NYC AIDS Memorial finally had its official unveiling last Thursday morning, in a ceremony presided over by Mayor de Blasio, former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and City Councilman Corey Johnson, who represents Chelsea and is HIV positive. The Gay Men's Chorus also performed during the dedication.
The memorial is located across from what was once St. Vincent's Hospital, which was ground zero during the height of the AIDS epidemic in New York City in the 1980s and at one point housed the largest AIDS ward in America. More than 100,000 New Yorkers have died of the disease since 1981.
The hospital closed in 2010,and the complex has since been converted into luxury condos, including a row of townhouses priced at $26.5 million each.
(Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist)
The memorial ceremony was scheduled for Thursday in order to coincide with World AIDS Day, but after the speeches were made and the temporary stage packed away, construction crews promptly reinstalled the fencing and barricades around the site.
Update: The park is currently closed, as there is still additional work to be done on the memorial. NYC AIDS Memorial's cofounder Paul Kelterborn explains, "The final components still to be installed are the large granite benches that line two sides of the site. We expect them to be delivered the week of 12/19. Once they are installed, we will be allowed to remove the fencing and the memorial will then be open to the public. It should be open before the end of the month, barring any unforeseen delays."
When they do allow access onto the site, you can expect an abstract, trellis-like structure composed of triangles, designed by studio a+i, that juts in multiple directions over a perpetual waterfall-fountain, and a piece by artist Jenny Holzer carved into the granite floor, which uses words from Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself."
(Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist)
The NYC AIDS Memorial is located within St. Vincent's Triangle, at West 12th Street and Greenwich Avenue.
Tagged
aids memorial
nyc aids
st. vincent's triangle
original
Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Published Oct 8, 2026
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
By
Sonia Rao
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
By
Alec Hamilton
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .