Just Imagine – A Wide Open Park Space From Varick to Hudson
By Tobi Bergman
The new recreation center at the base of the Hudson Mosaic, corner of Clarkson and Hudson. Renderings courtesy of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects.
For many years, Village Preservation has energetically and successfully advocated to protect our treasured neighborhoods and structures. Now they hope to save the crumbling Dapolito Recreation Center at the corner of Seventh Avenue South and Clarkston Street. They also hope to stop the creation of a new recreation center at 388 Hudson Street.
I hope they don’t succeed.
The worst thing about the Dapolito building is that it occupies ¼-acre of JJ Walker Park and its location disconnects the park from the streets and neighborhoods to the east.
Please go stand at the northwest corner of Carmine and Seventh Avenue South and look west. II think you’ll agree it’s not a special New York place.
Keep looking west, but now imagine the building gone. A renovated park has been extended to a wide welcoming new entrance at the corner. Now you are looking across lawns and gardens and sitting areas. Even above the noise of traffic, you are hearing the delight of the swimmers in the renovated outdoor pool. The magical Keith Herring mural is revealed to be enjoyed by thousands of people every day. You’re seeing the trees in the park, the sky above buildings on Hudson Street, and the historic row of houses on St. Lukes Place.
JJ Walker Park, once hidden behind a building, once accessible only from side streets, is now in full view, open and accessible, and one of the largest and most special public open spaces in Greenwich Village. You cross the street and you’re in.
Many of us remember the loss of St. Vincents Hospital. It was sad and bad. But the creation of AIDS Memorial Park on the blighted site of the hospital logistics facility was a blessing. A change for the better!
Too often we walk with our heads down or facing our phones. Opening Seventh Avenue South at Carmine Street to an extended and rejuvenated JJ Walker Park will create another special place where we look up and see trees and open sky; a place where a welcoming park beckons us: Come in!
The loss of the existing Dapolito building may be sad for some. Many good times were had there. For many years my sons spent more waking hours there than they did at home, so I know. But it won’t be bad. It will be a blessing without a loss.
While Dapolito is a “contributing building” in a preservation district, it does not have innate architectural or other value that would make it worthy of designation for historic preservation on its own ─ and clearly adding new parkland won’t harm the district.
SPONSORED
Built for other purposes, Dapolito was never suitable for recreational facilities. The gyms are too small, as is the indoor pool located in a dank and dark basement. The grand circular stairway is the one special feature of the building, but unless it is demolished it will always divide the floorplates and preserve the small unwelcoming hallways and lobbies. New requirements for access/egress, ventilation, and life safety will add still more use constraints. And if the city demolishes the building, a bright new recreation center will be opened a block away at 388 Hudson Street, with a full-sized gym and pool, affordable physical training facilities, and a variety of multi-use spaces.
The Parks Department did not handle this well. They announced the Dapolito demolition without first talking about what they envisioned for the site, thereby allowing conspiracy theories about luxury housing which was never a possible outcome given the laws protecting parkland. When they finally clarified that the public recreation uses would continue, they announced the future use would be an “aquatics center” (what’s that?) and entertained a silly idea of keeping some of the old brick facades, thereby killing the chance to open the east side of the park to the neighborhood. What still has not happened is an open discussion of how the site can best serve the open space and recreation needs of the neighborhood, thereby creating the impression that the agency thinks it knows.
Renovation of the Dapolito Recreation Center is a bad idea that would extend forever the loss of the parkland it occupies and deprive all of us of the opportunity for a new state-of-the-art recreation center as part of the Hudson Mosaic at 388 Hudson Street, a center truly worthy of honoring Tony Dapolito’s legacy. Hudson Mosaic represents the city’s first co-location of affordable housing with an NYC Parks recreation center. At least 15% of units will be reserved for formerly homeless New Yorkers, who will have access to on-site clinical and supportive services.
Note from Arthur Schwartz: Tobi Bergman served as chief of operations at Central Park. He was a key player in converting Pier 40 at West Houston Street into a ballfield and sports center ─ and later into Hudson River Park. He served on Community Board 2 for more than 20 years, chaired its Parks Committee for many years and was elected board chair in 2014.
