New Yorkers will soon have a new pool to splash the summer, and, in winter, a new track to skate on ice. There is even fun for seasons along the way.
That is the Northern Edge or Central Park, passed by visitors attracted by the reference points of the southern green space, is ready to become a vibrant destination with the opening of April 26 of the Davis Center of $ 160 million in the Harlem Meer. Central Park Conservancy calls this its largest and most complex project since it was founded in 1980.
In its heart is the Gottesman group, a latest generation aquatic installation that is classified as the largest eighth in the city, designed to serve thousands of swimmers and encourage community connection in a unattended historical corner of the park.
The Davis Center, a public-private collaboration led by the consumption with $ 60 million of the city and $ 100 million in private donations, replaces the rink and pool of the 1960s that had fallen into poor condition.
Designed by Susan T. Rodríguez and Mitchell Giurgola Architects, the installation is accompanied in the difficult field of the park, its low profile pavilion crowned by a grass roof that functions as a picturesque show.
The pool, which opens for public swimming at the end of June, can accommodate up to 1,000 swimmers at the same time, sacrifices a duration of a respite.
In winter, it becomes an ice rink, and spring and autumn, it becomes the Harlem Oval, an artificial grass field for community activities.
How it works: there is an elevator system placed under the track in the winter, and the grass in the warmer months, to support its own bases. It is then eliminated so that the Juerguistas make a splash in the pool throughout the summer.
“The opening of the Davis Center in Central Park is a brilliant example of what makes New York city more habitable and the best place to raise a family,” said Mayor Eric Adams in a press release.
The pool and the surrounding facilities restore a landscape altered by decades of urban interventions. Unlike the Lasker pool, which interrupted the natural flow of water in the Harlem Meer, the Davis center reconnects a current through the historic Huddlestone arch, creating a wetland edge that improves the areas of ecological integrity. Not to mention something picturesque for visitors.
A new seap walk, accessible to all, along the Meer, pedestrian invitation to explore the northeast corner of the park, a 20 -minute bicycle trip from the city center.
“Today is a cheerful and deeply significant day for Central Park and for New York City,” said Betsy Smith, president and executive director of Central Park Conservancy. “What was once a beloved but aged center is now a beautiful and cozy place celebrating Central Park and welcomes New Yorkers to swim, skate, learn and connect, throughout the year.”
The installation design prioritizes the needs of the community, informed by years of dialogue with the residents of Harlem and East Harlem.
The pavilion, with its granite walls Corinthians and its wide glass doors, serves as a center full of light for changing rooms, bathrooms and compact coffee.
Its sustainable characteristics, aimed at the Leed Gold certification, include a green roof planted with native species and a Claraboya that bathes the interior with natural light.
The philanthropic contributions included $ 40 million of Kathryn and Andrew Davis, for whom the center is named, and a significant gift by David S. Gottesman and Ruth L. Gottesman, for whom the group is named.
“Kate and I have the honor of supporting the Davis Center in the Harlem Meer, a project that restores a vital part of Central Park and reconnects it with the Harlem community,” the Davis said in the press release.
Alice Gottesman added: “Swimming and outdoor skating in Central Park are special and unmatched experiences. The new Davis Center in the Harlem More will make these opportunities accessible to many more New York.”
The pool programming, operated by the city parks department, includes free learning to swim and aquatic activities from the end of June to the beginning of September, addressing the needs of a community where access these resources has been limited.
Offers throughout the year, supported by donors such as JPMorganhase and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, present physical conditioning classes, art workshops and ecological tours, with an approach to involving local young people.
“The historic Harlem Meer is one of Central Park’s best gems, so I am delighted that the programming and facilities of the new Davis center offer endless ways for visitors to connect with the Meer,” said Manhattan County president, whose office project.
The completion of the Davis Center marks the culmination of an effort of decades to revitalize the north end of Central Park, where consumption has invested more $ 310 million since the 1980s.
On April 26, at noon, a community celebration in the Harlem Oval will launch the public debut of the center, with local presentations, food and tours.
