Melinda Katz and other officials tour World's Fair relic and pledge it will not be torn down

CHRISTIE M FARRIELLA/FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz inside the deteriorated New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Katz has promised to work with civic groups and elected officials to find a brighter future for the site.

The New York State Pavilion won’t be torn down on Queens Borough President Melinda Katz’s watch.Katz took a tour of the crumbling World’s Fair relic on Thursday afternoon with a group of elected officials and civic leaders.

“The right direction is to preserve this, to save this for generations to come," she said. "And to make it a useful part of the park and to make sure it doesn't fall down on people around it."Katz’s position is in stark contrast to her predecessor Helen Marshall who told the News in 2008 the structure is unsafe and should be demolished.

“This was a significant site,” said Katz, “This was the site of the World’s Fair. This is Queens.”She plans to create a task force to focus on the pavilion and bring together supporters.The Parks Department released an engineering report in late 2013 showing it would cost about $43 million too stabilize the site as a modern ruin, $53 million to restore it to its World’s Fair glory and $72 million to turn it into a high concept multi-use facility.

It would cost just $14 million to tear it down.
 

CHRISTIE M FARRIELLA/FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz (2nd from L) gives a tour of the New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows Corona Park with (LtoR) Assemblywoman Marge Markey, Assemblyman Micheal Simanowitz and Councilman Rory Lancman. Katz promised the World’s Fair icon will not be torn down.

Katz and Janice Melnick, the administrator of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, said the concensus of elected officials and residents is that the structure should never be dismantled.“In my 30 years in parks I have never seen such unanimous support,” said  Melnick. “Everyone wants it to be preserved.”

Architect Philip Johnson designed the massive structure which includes the Tent of Tomorrow, a 350 foot-by 250-foot space supported by sixteen 100-foot columns. Three adjoining towers, which once housed a restaurant and observation deck, stand 60 feet, 150-feet and 226 feet.

Matthew Silva and Christian Doran, two fans of the site, helped spark recent interest. Their group, People for the Pavilion, tapped into a passionate group of art lovers, World’s Fair enthusiasts and historic preservationists.

“We’re really excited,” said Silva, who is also making a documentary of the pavilion titled “Modern Ruin.”

Silva’s campaign on Kickstarter to fund the film has been successful - further evidence of support for the pavilion.“It’s really nice to know the borough president and our organization are completely on the same page,” he said.Jean Silva of the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Conservancy said the rusting marks along the pavilion signal its age but are no reason to give up on it.

“It sits there strong as ever saying, ‘Hey guys, I’m here. Come back to me,’” she said.

**please visit campaign page >  MODERN RUIN:A World's Fair Pavilion

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