Parks department officials told a group of Queens residents yesterday that saving the rotting New York State Pavilion, which was a hallmark of the 1964-1965 World's Fair in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, would cost a whopping $43 millionat a minimum. The Tent of Tomorrow and its three modernist observation towers, designed by Philip Johnson, have sat in disuse for decades, recently acquiring some preservation-minded champions who want to restore it to its former glory. While $43 million would make it a structurally sound ruin free of toxic paint, it would take some $72 million to turn it into something new, according to city officials. Simply demolishing it, though, would cost $14 million, which isn't that cheap either. Luckily, the structure isn't falling apart, so there's "time to have some really reasonable dialogue," with public meetings tentatively planned for the first half of next year. So, let's bear down for another five years of debate.
· Preserving crumbling World's Fair icon could cost at least $43M [NYDN]
· Documentarian Rallies To Save Decrepit World's Fair Pavilion [Curbed]
· All New York State Pavilion coverage [Curbed]
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