[Joseph a. at Flickr]
Despite having $20 million poured into it in the 1990s, the monumental but dilapidated bathhouse pavilion at Jacob Riis Park sits neglected and mired in a Catch-22—it needs money to be fixed up for use by vendors and the public, but it needs money from vendors to get fixed up for public use. The multi-million dollar renovation project is in danger of being completely wasted as the half-done job has left the building unused and susceptible to further decay. Tropical Storm Irene did not help the situation last year—smashing doors and windows and dumping tons of sand inside the building. While the Rockaways at the other end of the peninsula thrives with surfing, hipsters, and revived bungalows, locals are frustrated that their art deco monument is stuck in the sand. Daniel Borrero of Bushwick, Brooklyn told the NY Times, "It’s a pity because it’s a beautiful piece of architecture. It’s just going to waste."
· A Promise Unfulfilled at an Art Deco Bathhouse in the Rockaways [NYT]
· Rockaways coverage [Curbed]
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