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120-704: The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center and Ice Rink , also known as the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center or Flushing Meadows Natatorium , is a 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m) facility in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , Queens , New York City , with an Olympic-sized pool and an NHL -standard rink. Built in 2008, the $ 66.3 million project is the first indoor public pool to open in New York City in four decades. Initially,

240-406: A Hard Rock Hotel –themed Integrated Resort which would include a casino. It would also include cultural amenities, restaurants, shopping, and park space. In May 2024, state senator Jessica Ramos stated she would not introduce legislation to help get the project approved. The layout of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park retains much of Gilmore D. Clarke and Michael Rapuano's Beaux-Arts planning from

360-529: A 1,500-foot (460 m) pipe across Northern Boulevard, before being deposited onto the wetlands. The filling for the north meadow was complete in 1916. The prospect of creating a port was halted in 1917 by material restrictions caused by World War I , and a lack of federal support for the project. Industrial activities in the borough were fulfilled by existing terminals in Long Island City, Maspeth , Flushing, and College Point. Dumping of ash into

480-642: A boat house, one of two structures that remain from the 1939 World's Fair, the other being the Queens Museum . Rental boats are available at the boathouse for rowing and paddleboating, and Meadow Lake is also the site of rowing activities for non-profit Row New York , with teams practicing on the lake for much of the year. Meadow Lake also hosts the annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York , and teams from New York practice in Meadow Lake during

600-622: A composite fabric insulated with Lumira aerogel - was developed by Cabot Corporation, Birdair, and Geiger Engineers. In 2008 it was used for the first time on the Dedmon Athletic Center ’s new roof. More recently, Geiger developed a nonlinear bearing for large moveable structures such as retractable roofs. This now patented nonlinear bearing is an improvement on the commonly used linear bearing in that it can combine rotation and translation in varying ways, giving structural designers greater flexibility. In 1968 while David Geiger

720-542: A farmhouse on the site of the modern World's Fair Marina was used as a headquarters for British forces. By the 1800s, primitive roads were established crossing the meadows, running along what are now Northern Boulevard and the Long Island Expressway . Several railroads were also laid through the site, including lines of the Flushing and North Side Railroad (today's LIRR Port Washington Branch and

840-512: A group of traditionalist Catholics started to assemble at the old Vatican Pavilion exedra monument of the 1964 New York World's Fair to have evening rosary prayer vigils, having been obligated to relocate from Bayside, Queens . This was led by a woman named Veronica Lueken who claimed she was experiencing visions there of the Virgin Mary , and giving out supposed messages from heaven, frequently apocalyptic in nature. At its height in

960-473: A large park in Flushing Meadow in the 1920s as part of a system of parks across eastern Queens. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park was created as the site of the 1939 New York World's Fair and also hosted the 1964 New York World's Fair . Following the 1964 fair, the park fell into disrepair, although some improvements have taken place since the 1990s and 2000s. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park retains much of

1080-709: A living; what we give, however, makes a life." In January 2022, sculptor Sherwin Banfield unveiled Going Back to the Meadows , a statue of Queens–born rapper LL Cool J . Located in David Dinkins Circle, the installation depicted him in a Kangol bucket hat and Cuban link chain, holding up a solar-powered boombox loaded with a cassette of his 1985 debut album, Radio . The sculpture, which remained through November 2022, featured speakers that were timed to play LL Cool J's music for five hours on several days of

1200-502: A local group, the Waterfront Alliance, a $ 530,000 grant to study the effects of climate change at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park after U.S. representative Grace Meng had requested the grant the previous year. The park was extremely vulnerable to flooding because of its topography and because of sea level rise caused by global warming . Climate scientists had predicted that parts of the park would be flooded regularly by

1320-820: A maximum of $ 5–6. Another food festival, the World's Fare, started in 2017 and is hosted in Citi Field's parking lot on about the third weekend of May. Restoration of the New York State Pavilion began in 2019, as did work on the Fountains of the Fairs. The Fountains of the Fairs were dedicated in October 2020. In early 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) gave

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1440-400: A plan in which the perimeter columns were erected first, after which the concrete planks and roof framing were placed, followed by the erection of the masts, and lastly the installation of each cable. The concrete planks on the roof sit on steel framing, including the large longitudinal girders that create the swooping form of the roof. These girders were fabricated with W36x300s in the middle of

1560-587: A plan to restore the New York State Pavilion, as well as the construction of a "mist garden" in the park's Fountains of the Fairs. Other projects included the construction of a promenade around Meadow Lake and the rehabilitation of the World's Fair Playground and the marina. In 2015, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park also started hosting the Queens Night Market , a summertime food market that features cuisine from dozens of countries. The market became popular due to its affordability, since all food cost

1680-546: A plan to turn the ash dump into a recreational complex, and presented them to Queens Borough President George U. Harvey . In 1930, Moses released plans for numerous parks and highways in the city. This included the Grand Central Parkway , the construction of which would require taking land from the ash dumps. One of the provisional projects listed was a "Flushing River Park", along with a "Flushing River Parkway". The Brooklyn Ash Removal Company's contract with

1800-526: A western lobe from the main part of the northern half, while the east-west Jewel Avenue bisects the southern half. The success of the Flushing Meadows site as a garbage dump-turned-park led Moses and the city to develop other wetlands in the city into parks via short-term refuse landfilling. This process was used to create Marine Park and Spring Creek Park in Brooklyn, and Ferry Point Park in

1920-639: A while after the 1964 Fair's conclusion but were subsequently demolished. This included the Travel and Transportation Pavilion, destroyed in 1967 after a failed conversion to a fire station , and the United States Pavilion , demolished in 1977 after great deterioration. One such parcel became the site of the Playground for All Children, one of the first playgrounds designed to include handicapped-accessible activities. The design competition for

2040-482: A woman who had been sitting with her partner at the nearby Mets–Willets Point subway station . Several improvements were made to Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in the 2000s and 2010s. The Flushing Meadows–Corona Park Conservancy was formed in 2002 to advocate for parkland in the area. The $ 66.3 million Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center , encompassing an Olympic-sized public indoor pool and an NHL regulation-sized skating rink, opened in 2008. The facility

2160-462: Is a public park in the northern part of Queens in New York City , New York, U.S. It is bounded by I-678 (Van Wyck Expressway) on the east, Grand Central Parkway on the west, Flushing Bay on the north, and Union Turnpike on the south. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park is the fourth-largest public park in New York City , with a total area of 897 acres (363 ha). Until the 19th century,

2280-464: Is at the eastern edge of the area encompassed by Queens Community Board 4 . The park is named after the nearby neighborhoods of Flushing and Corona , which are separated by the park. The name "Flushing" is a corruption of the port town of Vlissingen in the Netherlands . By the 19th century, the word "flushing" had become associated with "a cleansing by rushing water". "Corona" was added to

2400-767: Is located just outside the park grounds, serving the Hall of Science. The Q48 , Q58 , Q64 and Q88 buses all travel through the park, but only the Q48 stops within the park perimeter, serving Citi Field and the USTA. The Q58 and Q88 stop outside either side of the park and cross the park via the Horace Harding Expressway, while the Q64 crosses the park along Jewel Avenue/69th Road. The fictional "Valley of Ashes" in F. Scott Fitzgerald 's novel The Great Gatsby (1925)

2520-440: Is named for the many species of willow plants which inhabit the area. Invasive phragmites , a genus of wild grasses, are also abundant. Attempts to kill the phragmites with pesticides have led to further fish kill. Numerous berry-producing trees and shrubs near Willow Lake attract several migratory bird species. The biodiversity of the lakes has been found to be much lower than other water bodies of comparable size. Near

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2640-631: Is said to have been inspired by the site of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park when it was still a dump, as well as by nearby Willets Point . Geiger Engineers Recent high-profile projects include the new roof on the JMA Dome (formerly the Carrier Dome ) at Syracuse University, winner of NCSEA's 2021 Excellence in Structural Engineering Award for Forensic/Renovation/Retrofit/Rehabilitation Structures over $ 20 Million;

2760-503: Is the largest recreation complex in any New York City park, at 110,000 square feet (10,000 m ). This was followed by the opening of Citi Field , a new baseball field to replace Shea Stadium, in 2009. Another public-private partnership, the Alliance for Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, was created in 2015. It commenced construction on, or announced plans for, several improvement projects at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. These included

2880-506: The Brooklyn Dodgers , until the franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1958. A racing circuit to host a Formula One grand prix event was proposed for New York City, with one of the potential circuits to be built around Meadow Lake, first for the 1975 season , and later for the 1983 season . The plans were opposed by the local community and environmental groups, and the race was postponed and ultimately canceled by 1985. One of

3000-770: The Great Depression . Areas of the dumps were also used for growing vegetables, with the soil fertilized by the garbage and manure. In 1935, the site, now planned as "Flushing Meadow Park", was selected for what would become the 1939 World's Fair. In addition to the ash dumps and undeveloped meadows, houses in Corona east of 111th Street, adjacent to the dumps, were condemned and added to the site, displacing residents. The plans were drafted by Parks Department landscape architect Gilmore David Clarke and his partner Michael Rapuano, designed in Beaux-Arts style. Work on

3120-540: The Hudson River to drain southward into the Atlantic Ocean . Through the 19th century, the site continued to consist of wetlands straddling Flushing River. Species inhabiting the site included waterfowl and fiddler crab , with fish using water pools for spawning. The area was first settled by Algonquian Native Americans of Long Island (referred to erroneously as " Mantinecocks "). They consisted of

3240-587: The New York Mets since 2009, sits at the far north end of the park. Shea Stadium , the Mets' previous home and prior host to the New York Jets football team, once stood adjacent to the area now hosting Citi Field . In addition to the existing stadiums, several other sports venues have been proposed for the park. In the 1950s, Flushing Meadows was one of several proposed sites for the relocation of

3360-478: The Panorama . The remainder of the park, meanwhile, had fallen into disrepair, with wild animals moving back into the area. Only minor upgrades to the park occurred during this time. The Flushing Meadows site was selected in 1959 as the site of the 1964 World's Fair. Gilmore D. Clarke and Michael Rapuano were retained to tailor the original 1939 park layout for the new fair. Three structures were retained from

3480-529: The Steinway subway tunnel (used by today's 7 and <7> ​ trains), purchased large tracts of marsh near Flushing Creek. At the time, the land was considered "all but worthless". Degnon envisioned using the site to create a large industrial port around Flushing Bay , similar to a terminal he developed in Long Island City . By 1911, Degnon had created a plan along with

3600-655: The United States Department of War and the Queens Topographical Bureau. The plan envisioned widening Flushing River and creating docks for ships, with numerous factories and freight facilities. Meanwhile, the residential areas of Corona were expected to become the primary residence for factory workers. To create the port, beginning in 1910 Degnon proceeded to fill the land using household coal ash and street sweepings from Brooklyn. Degnon set up two companies of his own, one of which

3720-464: The terminal moraine that runs across Long Island, which consisted of sand, gravel, clay and boulders. The moraine created a drainage divide , with rivers north of the moraine such as the future Flushing River emptying into the north shore. The Flushing Meadows site became a glacial lake, and then a salt marsh after the ice melted. Prior to glaciation, the Flushing River valley was used by

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3840-581: The "Canarsee" and "Rockaway" Lenape groups, which inhabited coastal wetlands across Queens and Brooklyn. Beginning in 1640, Dutch settlers moved into the area, establishing the town of Newtown to the west of the site (which would become Elmhurst , Corona , and other areas in western Queens), and the town of Flushing to the east. The meadows became known as the Corona Meadows. By 1666, the Native American population had been displaced from

3960-710: The "Porpoise Bridge" or "Tide Gate Bridge", located just south of the Long Island Rail Road 's Port Washington Branch trestle, at the north end of the Flushing Meadows Golf Center. The dam only permits northward flows towards Flushing Bay to pass, while blocking south-flowing waters. As its name implies, the dam also acts as a bridge, carrying pedestrian and vehicular traffic over the creek. It measures 37 feet (11 m) wide and 370 feet (110 m) long. The lakes are fed by groundwater . Prior to human development, Flushing Meadows

4080-405: The 120-foot-by-230-foot clear spans, twelve cables were extended from each mast to specific connection points on the roof. The twelve 3-inch diameter A586 strand cables are critical elements in connecting the masts to the roof. To keep the roof from lifting, the roof is decked in concrete planks that counteract windloads. The concrete planks sit on longitudinal girders that create the swooping form of

4200-442: The 1920s. At the time, he envisioned the site to become a "true ' Central Park '", especially with much of city population moving to Queens and Long Island due to urban sprawl . Moses also planned Flushing Meadows to be the westernmost of a chain of parks running across Queens, which would include Kissena Park , Cunningham Park , Alley Pond Park , and Douglaston Park . In 1929, representatives from surrounding communities created

4320-471: The 1939 Fair, Meadow Lake was temporarily named "Fountain Lake" and "Liberty Lake". The land around Meadow Lake contains much of the park's true "parkland", with open grass, picnic and grilling areas, and baseball and cricket fields. During the fairs, the land on the north shore and part of the eastern shore of the lake was used as an amusement area, with large parking lots added on the east and west shores for

4440-610: The 1939 Fair. Meanwhile, several new structures and attractions were built for the 1964 fair, including the Unisphere , Shea Stadium , the New York Hall of Science , and Queens Botanical Garden . The Unisphere, built as the theme symbol for the 1964/1965 World's Fair, has since become the main sculptural feature of the park. It stands on the site occupied by the Perisphere during the earlier Fair. The Van Wyck Expressway

4560-400: The 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs. Flushing Meadows–Corona Park is the fourth-largest public park in New York City . It was long believed to be 1,255 acres (508 ha) in size, but a survey concluded in 2013 found its actual size to be 897 acres (363 ha) when accounting for major roads and other exclusions within the park's perimeter. This does not take into account a disputed claim that

4680-405: The 1964 Fair. The lots were removed and converted to parkland after the 1964 Fair. The Willow Lake area of the park is a nature reserve . The area around Willow Lake originally also contained sports fields and park trails, until it was fenced off and turned into a preserve in 1976. The park is entirely circumscribed by highways constructed by Robert Moses. Its eastern boundary is formed by

4800-516: The 2050s and that the entire park could be underwater by the 2080s. At the time, the city government was spending $ 350 million on various upgrades at the park. By mid-2023, the New York City government was considering erecting tents in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park to temporarily house asylum seekers. The park had also become popular with Queens's large Latin-American population, who frequently played soccer there. The first phase of

4920-511: The Al Oerter Recreation Center, which also opened in 2008. Some 1964 World's Fair buildings remained in use after the fair. The Flushing Meadows Carousel , opened as part of the 1964 Fair, operates in the northwestern part of the park. The New York Hall of Science at the park's northern corner, founded during the 1964 World's Fair, still operates in its original location. The New York State Pavilion , constructed as

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5040-526: The Bronx. This was also the original plan for the Fresh Kills and Edgemere landfills, which remained open past their expected tenure and became large and long-term municipal waste sites. The Fresh Kills site was developed into Freshkills Park in the early 21st century. In November 1939, a water main running through Flushing Meadows Park to supply water to Flushing failed. Unlike the fair buildings,

5160-519: The City of New York , an enormous scale model of the entire city. It is one of two buildings that survive from the 1939/40 Fair, and the only one that remains in its original location. (The other is the Belgium exhibition building , disassembled and moved to the campus of Virginia Union University in 1941. ) It is now the home of the Queens Museum of Art , which still houses, and occasionally updates,

5280-889: The Credit One Stadium renovations, new Stage House and canopy; the USTA's Louis Armstrong Stadium which was a finalist in the SEAoNY 2020 Excellence in Structural Engineering (EiSE) Awards; and Ariens Hill at Titletown , winner of the ASLA 2019 Wisconsin Award and the AIA 2018 Michigan Building Award, among others. In addition to providing a wide range of engineering services, Geiger Engineers remains involved in industry innovations. For example, Tensotherm (trademark) -

5400-807: The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Natatorium and Ice Rink became the largest recreation complex ever built in a city park at 110,000 square feet. By 2020, the facility (renamed the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center) accommodated 350,000 annual visitors. NYC Parks announced in late 2019 that the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center would have to close for emergency repairs to its roof. The building closed in January 2020 for

5520-678: The Flushing Meadows Golf Center, the Industry Pond, and the Unisphere, all of which are on the westernmost part of the 1250-acre park. Influenced by the World's Fair pavilions, the 110,000 square foot aquatic center is the largest recreation complex ever built in a New York City park. The curved suspended roof spans over both the Olympic size swimming pool and an NHL regulation hockey rink. The programmatic requirements of this complex shaped decisions about structure and materials. Designing

5640-547: The Flushing Meadows site by European settlers, although a deed reserved the right to hunt on the land for the Native Americans. Several wealthy landowners began building farmhouses on the site in the mid-to-late 17th century. The meadows provided numerous natural resources for settlers, including timber, water, fertile soil, and grass and hay for grazing domestic animals. During the American Revolution ,

5760-518: The New York Jets rejected a plan to take over the proposed stadium. In the 2010s, a Major League Soccer stadium was proposed in the park after MLS founded New York City FC , the New York area's second soccer team. After examining several sites in the New York area, New York City FC finally decided on building its proposed stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park by 2016, deeming the park as

5880-588: The New York State Pavilion's renovation was finished in 2023, with a second phase planned to be completed in 2025. New York state officials announced in April 2022 that they would issue three casino licenses in Downstate New York . Following this announcement, in 2023, New York Mets owner Steven A. Cohen proposed a redevelopment of the parking lot west of Citi Field . The proposed development would be known as Metropolitan Park and would feature

6000-412: The U.S. during the 1970s and early 1980s with Geiger Berger Associates as the structural engineers for all of them. As important as the air-supported roof projects, was Geiger Berger's work in pioneering long-span cable, tensile membrane, and tensegrity structures. Among the notable structures engineered by Geiger Berger are the tensile membrane Hajj Terminal which in 2010 won the AIA 25-Year Award;

6120-702: The Van Wyck Expressway (I-678). The south and west ends of the park are bound by the Grand Central Parkway , with the Kew Gardens Interchange situated at the southernmost point. The northern edge of the park is bound by the expressway portion of Northern Boulevard ( New York State Route 25A ) which connects the Grand Central and the Whitestone Expressway. The park is bisected by the Long Island Expressway , at

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6240-668: The W27x194s at the sides. All of the wide flange shapes and masts were fabricated form ASTM A572 Grade 50 steel, while the diagonal roof bracing were A 500 Grade B. Due to the precisely choreographed steel design, the Flushing Meadow Natatorium received the 2009 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel award. (IDEAS). The IDEAS awards recognize outstanding achievements in engineering and architecture on structural steel projects around

6360-790: The Willow Lake nature preserve. The 78th Avenue gate to the lake remains shuttered and inaccessible despite being the closest gate to the Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike subway station. The chronic lack of maintenance of this portion of the trail has led to ordinary residents to resort to clearing the trail itself. The trail is officially named the Pat Dolan Trail, commemorating the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Conservancy's founder. The many recreational playing fields and playgrounds in

6480-405: The World's Fair site began on June 16, 1936. The project primarily involved leveling the ash mounds, with the leftover material used to fill other areas of the meadow. Two sites were excavated to create Meadow and Willow Lake, while much of the Flushing River was diverted into underground culverts . A floodgate was built to prevent tidal flow from flooding the lakes. In addition to recreation,

6600-416: The World's Fair that preceded its existence. With entrances on both the east and west side following a radial geometry, the designer draws on the historic Fountain of the Planets exhibition. A plaza is located at the eastern entrance of the building that extends from three paths that circulate to the building's park spaces. On the western façade, another entrance opens onto a path that leads to 8 soccer fields,

6720-411: The alternate sites, the Meadowlands Sports Complex in New Jersey, would host the Meadowlands Grand Prix Champ Car event in 1984. Also in the 1980s, the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League (USFL) proposed to relocate to the park, with a new stadium to be built in Willets Point adjacent to Shea Stadium. The plans dissolved when the USFL folded in 1985. Shortly afterwards,

6840-424: The approximate south end of the former Corona Ash Dumps, which separate the northern and southern halves of the park. Jewel Avenue and its interchange with the Grand Central further separate the southern section into two halves, with Meadow Lake to the north of Jewel Avenue and Willow Lake to the south. Access to the park is limited due to a lack of public transportation reaching many areas of the site, and presence of

6960-491: The architects to design the canopy roof suspended above the natatorium and rink. The World's Fair was a universal exposition showcasing various cultural exhibitions from all over the world. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center was envisioned in 1999 by Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Borough President Claire Shulman to revive the park. The original concept of a moderately sized pool was enlarged to an Olympic-size pool with an indoor ice rink as well. The building's foundation

7080-421: The ash was 30 feet (9.1 m). The dumps drew the ire of local residents, due to strong odors and being deemed unsightly, along with increasing rat infestations in the local neighborhoods. Much of the "street sweepings" collected consisted of horse manure from horse-drawn carriages. In addition, many residents simply threw out normal garbage along with the coal ashes. The meadows were also considered one of

7200-424: The building was intended to serve as the venue for water polo events during the 2012 Summer Olympics , but when the city's bid was lost to London, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation proceeded to build the pool anyway. The result is an innovative building with 130-foot-high twin masts and a swooping roof form. The masts are an architectural feature extending up into the Queens skyline as well as

7320-431: The center would reopen temporarily while officials devised plans for a more permanent repair to the roof. The center did not reopen at that time, and by November 2022, the renovation of the pool floors was only 10 percent complete. The pools reopened in February 2023; at the time, NYC Parks was planning to close the building again for repairs in 2025. The building closed again in March 2024 so workers could replace panels on

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7440-446: The city expired in 1933, and the city took over the company's assets and operations on May 25, 1934. The Brooklyn Ash property occupied around 300 acres (120 ha) of the 1,000-acre (400 ha) site, north of what is now the Long Island Expressway. The remainder of the meadows still contained natural wildlife. It was frequented by fur trappers, local residents collecting firewood and growing vegetables, and later, squatters during

7560-438: The country. The project was judged on structural steel innovation, with an emphasis on creative solutions to project requirements. The form was directly derived from the structural requirements of the program. Visual interventions within the buildings allow constant interaction between patrons and the outer environment. There are floor to ceiling expansive windows in the pool area and a spiraling staircase with windows opening into

7680-420: The defunct Whitestone Branch ). Shortly after the American Civil War , the meadows became a waterfront resort due to its natural beauty, and affluent New Yorkers constructed homes in the area. British saloon-keeper Harry Hill built the Flushing Bay Hotel and Pavilion on the future marina site. Around 1907, contractor Michael Degnon, whose firm constructed the Williamsburg Bridge , the Cape Cod Canal , and

7800-414: The envelope. Erecting the structure demanded precise calculations. The standards for cable structure construction required that the engineers create a strategy of execution, documenting each step, prior to construction. In order for the structure to be erected, much shoring and preliminary bracing was done to relieve the dead load from the gravity columns prior to cable installation. Geiger Engineers devised

7920-412: The fair ground layout. The proposal was rejected however, due to concerns over the strength of the former marshland for building construction, the lack of "scenic beauty" in the meadows, and the distance from Manhattan. The UN moved to their now-permanent headquarters in 1951. The New York City building was later refurbished for the 1964/1965 Fair as the New York City Pavilion, featuring the Panorama of

8040-402: The fair grounds, housing the New York Hall of Science and the Queens Zoo ), the "Recreation & Garden Botanical Area" (extending east of the fair grounds along the Kissena Creek corridor, housing the Queens Botanical Garden ), the "Historic World's Fair Core Area", Meadow Lake, and Willow Lake. The two lakes and the remainder of Flushing Creek are separated by a flood gate or dam called

8160-435: The fair site in order to create a natural landscape. Meanwhile, thousands of 100-foot (30 m) Douglas fir timbers were driven into the ground to act as pilings for the foundations of the fair structures. The pedestrian plan called for numerous wide tree-lined pathways, including a central "Cascade Mall" leading to the Trylon and Perisphere , many of which would be retained for the park. Faced with having to dispose of

8280-401: The fair. In the meantime, some of the buildings from the 1939 Fair were used for the first temporary headquarters of the United Nations beginning in 1946. The former New York City Building was used for the UN General Assembly during this time. Moses attempted to sell Flushing Meadows as a permanent headquarters for the UN, which would have required new structures and a complete redesign of

8400-404: The first tensegrity type dome which was built for the Olympic Gymnastics Venue in Seoul, Korea; and the world's first translucent insulated fabric roof for the Talisman Centre (now the MNP Community & Sport Centre), in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In addition, Geiger Berger was involved in the development of structural fabric materials such as Teflon PTFE coated fiberglass. By the early 1980s,

8520-411: The highways at the perimeters of the park separating the site from local neighborhoods. The park also has very few formal entrances from local neighborhoods; this is a vestige of the World's Fairs, where access was controlled. Studies by various groups have separated the park into a different number of sections. A study by the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation divides

8640-462: The lakes would serve as repositories for excess storm runoff. The dirt from the lake sites was used as additional topsoil for the park. The project was an around-the-clock job, with 450 workers operating on three daily shifts. Workers had to combat the effects of high tide, and dust storms created by the ash. The work significantly changed the topography of the meadows, differing from that created by glaciation. Thousands of trees were transplanted to

8760-526: The lakes. The regular tidal action that would filter the lakes is prevented by the dam. In addition, the lakes are subject to pollution and storm runoff from the nearby highways, via pipes which feed into the lakes. Because of its connection with Flushing Bay, several fish species native to marine habitats regularly swim into and inhabit Meadow and Willow Lakes. Fish species native to Meadow Lake include American eel , largemouth bass , northern snakehead (an invasive species), and white mullet . Willow Lake

8880-706: The late 20th century, thousands of people attended the nightly events, held on different feast days . One event in June 1983 attracted fifteen thousand pilgrims. Despite the events' popularity, Bishop Francis Mugavero , then Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn , stated in a 1986 "Declaration Concerning the Bayside Movement" that the events lacked credibility. After Lueken's death in 1995, and her husband's death in 2002, their followers divided into two small camps that continued to visit

9000-886: The layout from the 1939 World's Fair. Its attractions include the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center , the venue for the US Open tennis tournament; Citi Field , the home of the New York Mets baseball team; the New York Hall of Science ; the Queens Museum ; the Queens Theatre in the Park ; the Queens Zoo ; the Unisphere ; and the New York State Pavilion . It formerly contained Shea Stadium , demolished in 2009. The Flushing River continues to run through

9120-606: The lobby to the pool level, they circulate in a spiral path. The rectangular pavilion holds both the pool and the ice rink end to end. Constituents can enjoy the facilities year round. The building, a 110,000 square foot facility, engages its natural surroundings. The curtain wall wraps around the western façade, allowing swimmers to engage with the natural environment outside, from flowering crabapple trees in spring, to vibrant maple orchards in fall. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Flushing Meadows–Corona Park (often referred to as Flushing Meadows Park or simply Flushing Meadows )

9240-604: The lower than expected budget passed by Congress, Geiger changed the design and invented the low profile cable-restrained air-supported roof . The success of the Osaka Pavilion led to a surge in the design and construction of air-supported roofs. During the Osaka project, Horst Berger joined Geiger and their firm became Geiger Berger Associates which remained central to the new-found interest in utilizing air-supported roofs. Eight stadia were built with air-supported roofs in

9360-509: The meadows continued, however, fueled by the increased use of garbage incinerators in the city. The area became known as the Corona Dump or Corona Ash Dumps. During nearly 30 years of filling, around 50 million cubic yards of ash and waste were dumped onto the meadows site. One particular mound of ash rose 90 feet (27 m) high and was called "Mount Corona". Other mounds rose 40–50 feet (12–15 m) high. The average thickness of

9480-527: The mountains of ashes, Moses incorporated a significant portion of the refuse into the bases of several roadways that bordered or bisected the park. This included the Van Wyck Expressway ( Interstate 678 ) running along the eastern side of the park, the nearby Interboro Parkway (now Jackie Robinson Parkway ), and the Long Island Expressway ( Interstate 495 ) that divides the park into north and south halves. The Grand Central Parkway separates

9600-466: The name during the 1964 New York World's Fair . During at least three glacial periods , including the Wisconsin glaciation around 20,000 years ago, ice sheets advanced south across North America carving moraines , valleys, and hills. In particular, bays and estuaries were formed along the north shore of Long Island . During glaciation, what is now Flushing Meadows Park was formed just north of

9720-427: The neighborhood of Willets Point , along the north edge of the park, is itself part of the park. The northern section of the park, the former fair grounds, revolves around large paved pathways which during the fairs led to focal points such as pavilions, fountains and sculptures. The Trylon and Perisphere , and later Unisphere, were placed at the main axial point. The Unisphere and Queens Museum currently sit at

9840-403: The northern end of the park, adjacent to Willets Point is the "Sport Center" zone, where the US Open tennis tournament is held. In 2006, the tennis center was named USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center after professional tennis player Billie Jean King . Its center court is Arthur Ashe Stadium , and its secondary stadium court is Louis Armstrong Stadium . Citi Field , the home of

9960-639: The only viable location for a stadium. The stadium, which would have been located on the site of the Pool of Industry/Fountain of the Planets, was heavily opposed by the community, which forced the team to change its plans and play at Yankee Stadium . In November 2022, New York City and NYCFC agreed to build a 25,000-seat stadium, Etihad Park , in Willets Point adjacent to Citi Field; it is expected to be completed in 2027. The park's Meadow Lake contains

10080-446: The park are used for activities that reflect the wide ethnic mix of Queens; soccer and cricket are especially popular. New York Road Runners also hosts a weekly 3.30-mile (5.31 km) Open Run. as well as an annual 6.2-mile (10.0 km) 10K run . By the 2020s, the park had eight playgrounds and a skate park. Near the northeast corner of the park are the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Aquatics Center , which opened in 2008, and

10200-686: The park for vigils. Additionally, in 1978, the US Open tennis tournament was moved from the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The tournament was originally held in the Singer Bowl stadium (renamed the Louis Armstrong Stadium ), a 1964 World's Fair structure which was renovated and expanded for the tournament. Other parts of the park were also repaired or expanded for

10320-416: The park in 1997, replacing a smaller stadium. By the early 2000s, NYC Parks had spent $ 61 million to renovate the park, including $ 11 million on a promenade along Flushing Bay, $ 7 million for turf fields, and six new playgrounds. The park had also become the residence of a number of homeless people. This fact received attention after five possibly homeless individuals abducted, raped, and threatened to kill

10440-599: The park into three areas: the "historic core" (former World's Fair grounds), Meadow Lake, and Willow Lake. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Strategic Framework Plan divides the park into a total of seven "zones": the Marina along Flushing Bay (containing the World's Fair Marina ), the "Sport Center" (containing Citi Field and the USTA ), "West Park" (a small section extending west of the Grand Central Parkway and

10560-470: The park is largely occupied by Meadow and Willow Lake. The two lakes, along with the Pool of Industry and Fountain of the Planets in the former fair grounds, are fed by the Flushing River , which flows north through both lakes and underneath the fountain as a subterranean river towards Flushing Bay . The two lakes are connected by a narrow channel, forming a peninsula in between the lakes. During

10680-546: The park's northern end. The IRT Flushing Line subway station at Mets–Willets Point is served by the 7 and <7> ​ trains, and the similarly named LIRR station serves the Port Washington Branch . These stations are located at the northern end of the park adjacent to the Corona Yard and bus depot, primarily serving Citi Field and the USTA. The 111th Street subway station

10800-537: The park, and two large lakes called Meadow and Willow Lakes take up much of the park's area south of the Long Island Expressway . Flushing Meadows–Corona Park is owned and maintained by New York City Department of Parks and Recreation , also known as NYC Parks. Private, non-profit groups such as the Flushing Meadows–Corona Park Conservancy and the Alliance for Flushing Meadows–Corona Park provide additional funds, services, and support. The park

10920-491: The park, such as the Unisphere, Hall of Science, New York State Pavilion , and United States Pavilion . Most of the remaining $ 11.6 million from the fair funds, as well as money from Moses' Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority , were used to rehabilitate the site into a true park. City officials proposed repurposing the site as a "sports park" in 1966; ultimately, the Parks Department took back ownership of

11040-403: The park. The building's main facade is cloaked in a single concrete matrix of different aggregates used to form the mixture of surfaces within each section. Tucked between the concrete matrix are multicolored glass tiles reminiscent of the glimmering colors of water. These apertures, which are sprinkled along the building's facade, cast varying shadows on the interior. As users make their way from

11160-556: The pipeline was not built on piling foundations and eventually sank into the marsh and landfill. In January 1940, Borough President Harvey demanded an investigation into the main's construction take place, while the Board of Estimate allocated $ 50,200 for repairs. Following the closure of the Fair in 1940, the site was supposed to be cleared in order to develop and open Flushing Meadows as a city park. The onset of World War II , however, delayed

11280-571: The playground was won by architect Hisham N. Ashkouri ; the facility was completed in 1984, and it was refurbished and reopened in 1997. Immediately outside the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is a sculpture by Eric Fischl called Soul in Flight . The sculpture, unveiled in August 2000, is a 14-foot bronze nude statue that serves as a permanent memorial to Arthur Ashe and includes one of his favorite quotes, "From what we get we can make

11400-433: The pool and rink end-to–end, so that they would serve, structurally speaking as counterweights of a seesaw. At the midpoint are the "linchpins": the two 130-foot masts from which the roof is suspended. The masts are composed of 1-¼" plates that are stacked at the junction of the pool and rink. The masts are designed so that as they soar through the roof, the diameter narrows to accommodate lateral movement. In order to support

11520-402: The pool floors. The Flushing Meadows Natatorium is sited along the northeast perimeter of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, juxtaposed between the Van Wyck Expressway and the 1250-acre park greenery. The building is situated between an urban environment to the north, which consist of major streets and highways, with the park on its western facade. The siting and procession of the building refers to

11640-496: The project did not receive funds due to communication issues with the New York City Comptroller 's office. By 1972, little development had taken place to improve the park, while many World's Fair structures remained in disrepair. The disrepair was systematic within the park system, a product of lack of funding during that decade's fiscal crisis . This state of disrepair continued into the 1980s. In 1975,

11760-613: The project. The profits from the World's Fair were supposed to pay for the development of the park, but in spite of its success the fair turned a financial loss. Only two permanent attractions were opened in 1941: an ice skating rink and roller rink in the New York City Building , and a public pool located in the New York State Marine Amphitheatre (now demolished). The latter utilized the pool used for Billy Rose's Aquacade during

11880-465: The refuse to Corona. The operation was referred to as a citywide refuse "conveyor belt," while the trains were nicknamed the " Talcum Powder Express" because they often ran uncovered and deposited soot onto the surroundings. The northern end of the site was filled via now-conventional means, using dirt pumped from Flushing Bay which was being dredged to a lower depth. Material from the bay was extracted by an offshore hydraulic machine, and funneled through

12000-529: The repairs, which were originally scheduled to take six weeks. The completion of the repairs was delayed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City and was finally finished in July 2021. However, the center remained closed, as the city government decided to repair the swimming pools' floors after the pandemic. Workers had installed netting on the ceiling by late 2021. At the time, NYC Parks indicated that

12120-527: The restoration of the Unisphere was completed in May 1994. By the mid-1990s, NYC Parks was planning to spend another $ 19 million to rebuild fountains, build a new ramp to the Willets Point Boulevard station , add three entrances and a cultural walk, and enlarge the Hall of Science. The Aquacade amphitheater, which had decayed extensively, was demolished in 1996. Arthur Ashe Stadium opened in

12240-417: The site consisted of wetlands straddling the Flushing River , which traverses the region from north to south. Starting in the first decade of the 20th century, it was used as a dumping ground for ashes, since at the time, the land was so far away from the developed parts of New York City as to be considered almost worthless. New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses first conceived the idea of developing

12360-404: The site, which opened on June 3, 1967. Although the park was opened, it had yet to become the grand park Moses had originally envisioned. In August 1967, new parks commissioner August Heckscher II sought to begin improvements on the park in order to turn it into the "Central Park of the 20th century." A new plan for the park had been designed by architects Marcel Breuer and Kenzō Tange , but

12480-411: The state's exhibit hall for the same World's Fair, sits derelict and decaying. The pavilion was repainted yellow in 2015 and underwent renovations in the 2020s. At the northern end of the New York State Pavilion is the Queens Theatre in the Park , originally the pavilion's "Theaterama" attraction, which moved into its current building in 1993. Terrace on the Park , a banquet and catering facility,

12600-528: The structural supports for the cable-stayed roof. This design provides the clear spans necessary to house an Olympic swimming pool along with an ice skating rink. The Flushing Meadows Natatorium was designed by Handel Architects in association with Kevin Hom Architects (formerly Kevin Hom +Andrew Goldman Architects). The 1939 and 1964 World's Fair pavilions, which previously occupied the site, inspired

12720-401: The structural system and cable-stayed roof was a feat for Geiger Engineers . The structural engineers developed this structural envelope due to the necessity for a clear span- limiting chlorine from damaging building materials. A clear spanned space proved to be the solution that answered the need for minimal maintenance and avoidance of damage to structural elements. The engineers chose to place

12840-475: The summer months. The American Small Craft Association (TASCA) also houses a fleet of over a dozen 14.5-foot (4.4 m) sloop-rigged sailboats, used for teaching, racing, and recreation by the club's members. Bicycling paths extend around Meadow Lake and connect to the Brooklyn–Queens Greenway . The Willow Lake Trail, a nature trail around Willow Lake, was partially reopened in 2013 and is part of

12960-450: The tournament, including the fountains of the Unisphere. Arne Abramowitz became administrator of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in 1986 and soon began planning a renovation of the park. The following year, NYC Parks announced an $ 80 million rehabilitation of the park. The renovation had been planned since the early 1980s but had been deferred due to a lack of funding. The grounds of the park's northern section were landscaped in 1992, and

13080-620: The week. This park also contains three Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) maintenance facilities: the Jamaica subway yard , the Corona subway yard , and the Casey Stengel Bus Depot . The Jamaica Yard is located at the very south end of the park site, beyond Willow Lake, while the Corona Yard and Casey Stengel Depot are located across from Citi Field. The New York City Subway and Long Island Rail Road both serve

13200-463: The west end of the main promenade. Near the center of the promenade (called Herbert Hoover Promenade on the north side, and Dwight D. Eisenhower Promenade on the south side) are the Fountains of the Fairs, which sit in the median of the paths. At the far east end is the Fountain of the Planets, originally called the Pool of Industry. This layout was used to guide fair goers to exhibits. The layout

13320-401: The worst breeding grounds for mosquitoes in the city. The dump was famously characterized as "a valley of ashes" in F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby . Fitzgerald meanwhile described the Flushing River, now polluted from the dumps, as "a small foul river". The dumps and garbage trains were accused of facilitating a polio outbreak in Corona in 1916. The Brooklyn Ash Removal Company

13440-443: Was an adjunct professor at Columbia University with a part-time practice, he was contacted by Davis-Brody , a New York architectural firm. With their design of a 30-story tall, air-supported fabric structure , Davis-Brody had won the design competition for the U.S. exhibition hall at Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan. They needed a structural engineer with the expertise to implement their design and they turned to Dr. Geiger. In order to meet

13560-537: Was based on Gian Lorenzo Bernini 's plan for St. Peter's Square in Vatican City . The main promenade, measuring 2,500 feet (760 m), was provisionally called the "Cascade Mall" during its construction, and later named the "Constitution Mall" during the first fair. Many former exhibit and pavilion sites have since been replaced with soccer fields ( artificial turf or dirt and grass), while others have been left as open grass fields. The southern portion of

13680-476: Was brought to court by local residents in 1923 for "violation of the sanitary code" due to the smoke emitted from the dumps. As a minor concession, the company opened the Corona Park Golf and Country Club in 1931, on a tract near Nassau Boulevard (today's Long Island Expressway). New York City Parks Commissioner Robert Moses first conceived the idea of developing a large park in Flushing Meadow in

13800-706: Was completed in 2001 but after the September 11 attacks the project was halted due to funding issues. Finally, in 2003, the Natatorium was designated as the swimming arena in New York City's bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics . The Parks Department partnered with the Economic Development Corporation and plans re-commenced for New York City to build its first public indoor swimming pool in 40 years. Upon its completion in February 2008,

13920-656: Was contracted with the New York City Department of Sanitation . He also contracted the Brooklyn Ash Removal Company, owned by Fishhooks McCarthy , a member of the corrupt Tammany Hall political machine. Residential ash was collected via trolleys of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company , and loaded onto freight trains which traveled via the Long Island Rail Road branches, or other trolleys, which hauled

14040-586: Was extended north through the park site along the right-of-way of the former World's Fair Railroad . Moses and the Parks Department also prepared post-fair plans to finish Flushing Meadows Park, as well as Kissena Corridor Park and Kissena Park, projected to be complete by 1967. In early 1964, the New York City Council added " Corona " to the park's name; the park was now named "Flushing Meadows–Corona Park", in preparation for that year's World's Fair. Councilman Edward Sadowsky explained that this

14160-501: Was intended to correct an injustice: "The people of Corona have long lived in the aroma of a junkyard or a dump named for their community. Now, when there is something beautiful to be seen, there is no mention of the name Corona." Following the fair, most buildings from the fair were demolished. Some were relocated, such as the Wisconsin Pavilion , Uniroyal Giant Tire , and Golden Rondelle Theater , while others remained in

14280-404: Was originally a tidal marsh , with Flushing Creek receiving south-flowing waters from the tides of Flushing Bay. Although the lakes were built as freshwater lakes and dammed to mitigate tidal effects, flooding continues to affect the park. The lakes are also highly eutrophic , due to nutrients such as phosphorus from the former marshland seeping into the water, leading to the death of fish in

14400-573: Was originally the 1964 World's Fair's official helipad. The Queens Museum, which became the headquarters of the United Nations General Assembly after the 1939 Fair, was adapted as the 1964 Fair's New York City Pavilion building. After the fair, it was subdivided into the Queens Center for Art and an ice-skating rink, the latter of which was removed when the museum was expanded in 2013. Other buildings remained for

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