In New York, restore the cult landmark, which has been abandoned for more than 50 years

They want to turn the New York State Pavilion, abandoned since the time of the 1964 World Exhibition, into a landmark that residents of the metropolis will love even more than before this restoration. This publication writes Events.

The pavilion, which is located in Flushing Meadows Crown Park in Queens, will be restored as part of a project to preserve it for $ 24 million. The project is already being implemented by the New York City Department of Parks.

“The new project is the first attempt to preserve the pavilion from the moment of its construction. It involves structural work and the addition of a completely new lighting system that will illuminate structures like never before, ”the publication writes.

The history of the cult pavilion

The pavilion was once built for the 1964 / 1965 World Fair. It was the second and last World Fair held in Queens.

“The Tent of Tomorrow” was created by Philip Johnson. It was a round building, surrounded by sixteen 30-meter columns and topped with a roof of multi-colored fiberglass panels with an area of ​​more than 15 thousand square meters.

On the floor of the pavilion is a large-scale map of the state of New York. It was created from terrazzo mosaics, but today only some of its elements have been preserved.

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Inside the shorter lookout towers were cafes, and on the tallest of them was an observation deck. The adjoining “Theater” also existed in the pavilion, where pop art works by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were presented.

In 1972, the premises were redone at Queens Playhouse. In this format, it continued to work until the 1985 year.

About how to restore the pavilion, it was said more than once. As tells untappedcities.com, over the past decades, enthusiasts have been offering creative projects for its reconstruction, and finally one of them was decided to be implemented.

This is the innovative beginning of a large-scale restoration project that will preserve the cult structure and add dynamic architectural lighting. The work will include waterproofing the base of the tower, replacing the stairs, upgrading electrical equipment, and preserving structures at observation towers.

Restoring former glory

The restoration project of the cult pavilion will cost the city $ 24 million. The work is funded by appropriations of $ 13,1 million from Borough President Queens Melinda Katz, $ 9 million from Mayor Bill de Blasio, and $ 1,9 million from Council Member Francisco Moya.

“The work we are working on today will greatly help restore the iconic New York State Pavilion to its former glory,” said Borough President Queens Melinda Katz. “This work will allow future generations to enjoy the unique architecture of the space age and will recall the important role that the 1964-1965 World Exhibition played in the history of Queens.”

It is expected that the project will return to the historical pavilion “much needed love and care” and make it a landmark that New Yorkers will surely love even more than before the restoration.