photo: Daniel Avila
I missed the opportunity to venture inside this gorgeous, crumbling relic of the city's past, but blogger Peter Kaufman over at Ink Lake recently wrote about the preservation. He also passed along to JVNY these great photos of the process, all taken by Parks Department photographer Daniel Avila.
photo: Daniel Avila
Kaufman explains how volunteers first "removed the vegetation that had sprouted (and was cracking the tiles apart). A layer of sand was then placed over the floor, and then a geotextile was placed on top, finally covered by a layer of gravel."
photo: Daniel Avila
The Parks Department describes the map as "the largest-known representation of any area of the earth’s surface." After years of languishing, the Pavilion was finally landmarked in September 2009, making preservation funding possible at last.
And that's a good thing--though it means you will no longer be able to stand on a wobbly pile of bricks and peek in through a slit in the locked doors to see chunks of the map, as I did back in 2008:
my flickr
Maybe, someday, we'll be able to go inside and enjoy walking on the map like they did back in 1964. Until then, it's all tucked in...
photo: Daniel Avila
Jeremiah - Wow, beautiful. Wished I'd heard about the call from the parks department, I would have volunteered . . .
ReplyDeleteT.
Very interesting Jeremiah. I would love to see it and walk about it too.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics.
ReplyDeleteI find it very hard to reconcile these pictures with the pavilion I viewed with awe and excitement in 1964 and 1965. So sad. But at the same time, glad to see it's held on.
I remember this as a roller skating rink in the 70s where I went with my day camp....
ReplyDeletechris, did you skate right over the map itself? amazing.
ReplyDeleteYes, the floor was smooth as silk (maybe it was coated with something?)and I remember the map.
ReplyDeleteI also remember everyone wearing those rubber-lined skates, which didn't hurt the floor. This was way before roller blades.
I also remember going there several years later, only to find the place abandoned, dirty and graffitied. It was wide open to anyone who wanted to go in. It was as if the roller skating business had never been there....
I used to walk inside as a teenager in the late '80s. Once, I went to see a metal band play there! No clue if they had permission from the parks department. They carried in all their equipment, plus a generator.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely incredible, and the roller rink story blows my mind! I'd love to see this restored.
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm late in making this comment. For a brief period in the late '60s the Pavilion was used as a concert venue. Folks like Steppenwolf, the MC5, the Stooges, and Led Zeppelin are known to have played there. Here are a couple of pieces I did several years ago on ths joint:
ReplyDeletehttp://streetsyoucrossed.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_archive.html
http://streetsyoucrossed.blogspot.com/2005/09/update-o-rama.html
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI am making a documentary film about the New York State Pavilion. If anyone has pictures or stories that they wish to share, contact me through my gofundme page. Im trying to get people to see this building rather than see through it. Maybe its not too late to save it.
http://www.gofundme.com/275u6g
http://nyspavilion.blogspot.com/
-matthew