Flushing Meadows Corona Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, January 16, 2001

GREENING BEGINS AT FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK

Photo by Malcolm (Cinema) Pinckney

Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern addressed a crowd at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, site of the 1939 and 1964 World Fairs and Flagship Park in the borough of Queens, Friday January 12. With him to celebrate the groundbreaking of the former Ederle Amphitheater site were Queens Borough Commissioner Claire (Queen Bee) Shulman, Assistant Commissioner Estelle (Unisphere) Cooper, and many of the Parkies who have worked on the project thus far.

Mayor Giuliani contributed 5.5 million toward the $13.3 million reconstruction, and Borough President Shulman generously allocated the remainder. Their funds will enable Parks to realize the ambitious design of engineers and landscape architects Supervisor for In-House Nancy (Designing Woman) Prince, Project Manager Hui Mei (Bamboo) Grove, Project Manager Emanuel Thingue, Deputy Director of Architecture Rich (Ice) Robbins, Project Manager Tom (Cuyahoga) Cleaveland, and Supervisor for Structural Engineering Peter (Paw) Wolpensinger who, headquartered at Olmsted, have long ruminated on inventive improvements to Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Also putting their ruminations to work on the reconstruction are Director of Landscape Architecture David (Landscape) Carlson, Deputy Director of Landscape Architecture Grant (Ulysses) Anderson, Project Manager Robert (Pheasant) Lopane, Project Manager Bill (Osprey) Gotthelf, Project Manager Patricia (Outside) Clark, Project Manager James (Andronicus) Titus, Project Manager Frank (Serpico) Strauch, Project Manager Jon (Cosmo) Jadrosich, Project Manager Steve (Perennial) Whitesell, Director of Architecture Vincent J. (Winged Victory) Colangelo, Construction Project Manager Carol (Dragon Lady) Qu, Director of Engineering Arjun (Energy) Sheth, Supervisor for Electrical Engineering Magary Aime, Mechanical Engineer John Demenagas, Mechanical Engineer Alexander Fakayode, Structural Engineer Reza Mashayekhi, Supervisor for Mechanical Engineering Ben Mulchandani, Mechanical Engineer Jason (Shark) Ocharsky, Structural Engineer Jake Yow, Director of Specifications & Estimating Celia (Research) Peterson, Specification Writer Susan Coker, Survey Director Joseph P. Caridi, Surveyor Dominick Cusamano, and Surveyor Margaret DeCesare.

Their design exploits the beauty of Meadow Lake and its potential to draw visitors out of the park's core area and into the northwest end. Approaching from the bridge, patrons will be met with a dramatic view of the lake and invited to walk down to its very edge. What was previously the site of an amphitheater will be replaced with a 25,000-foot wood deck that borders the lake. The edge of the lake will be stabilized and planted with greenery.

On land, pavement will be replaced with 3 acres of green space and a reconfigured path system created to improve pedestrian and bike circulation. In all, the project covers 11.2 acres with 6.3 additional acres of plantings on either side. A double allee of Linden and Cherry trees will line a walk and sitting area. Picnic tables, and benches, safety lights, bikeracks, a north arrow paver and weathervane all will be installed. Expressing the oft-overlooked beauty of the lake, a storytelling area will feature sculptures of swans and ducks. To accommodate the crowds expected, a concessions pavilion will be erected as well as a 36 by 59 ft comfort station that is even now being used as a prototype for densely used park sites around the city.

The borders of Meadow Lake were designed for water oriented uses at the 1939 World's Fair. A horse-shoe shaped pool opened there two years later and was named for Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel. With the construction that Friday's groundbreaking initiated, Parks will replace the amphitheater and pool with improved access to the natural body of water itself.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Tuesday, January 19, 1988)

ROBERT TROMBINO APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF STADIA

Robert Trombino has been appointed Director of Stadia, Commissioner Stern announced. Trombino, formerly Deputy Director of Stadia, now reports directly to Deputy Commissioner for Planning Diana Chapin and Assistant Commissioner for Revenue Joanne Imohiosen.

As Director of Stadia, Trombino oversees operations at the four stadia located on parks property: Shea Stadium and the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and Downing Stadium on Randall's Island in Manhattan.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"For though he builds glorious temples 'tis odd
He leaves never a doorway to get in a god."

James Russell Lowell (1819-1891)

Know Before You Go

World's Fair Marina