What to do with the New York State Pavilion?

Discussions on whether to preserve or demolish the decaying landmark will be held this weekend

New York State Pavilion in Queens
New York State Pavilion in Queens

The fate of the New York State Pavilion in Queens, which has been left to rust for half a century, will be decided this weekend. Some say the distinctive modernist landmark is beyond repair and should be scrapped.

Designed by Philip Johnson in 1964 and located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the Pavilion consists of the Tent of Tomorrow and three 100-foot-tall observation towers.

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The structure will cost $14 million to demolish and upwards of $70 million to restore, according to Curbed. The Parks Department is hosting three town-hall style meetings at the Queens Theatre this week to showcase studies conducted since 2009 regarding how to fix years of damage to the Pavilion.

The park’s proximity to public transit has attracted ideas for new projects like a soccer stadium, proposed by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg last year. [Curbed]Angela Hunt