ENDANGERED BUILDING OF THE MONTH:
MCcarRen Play Center

McCarren Play Center in Greenpoint’s McCarren Park is one of the largest public pools in the world and an architectural treasure created under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1936. One of ten public pools built with federal funds and opened by Robert Moses, these structures are important not only for their architectural significance, but also their important role in the social history of New York City. All ten of them are eligible for listing in the State and National Registers of Historic Places and all were considered for landmark designation in 1990. Of the ten, only McCarren in Greenpoint is closed. The legacy of the WPA to New York’s built environment cannot be overstated; the infrastructure and public works that were built cannot be replaced today. Our record of stewardship for this federal largesse is varied and unfortunately, the McCarren Park Play Center has long been neglected and sits vacant, deteriorating. In 2001, a decision was made by the City Council, the Parks Department and Community Board 1 to restore the Center, but after the events of September 11th, the project lost funding. There have been numerous plans for the site, and happily, the Parks Department has allocated some funds for its stabilization this year. These funds are limited though and full restoration and renovation is not currently planned. Such a renovation would not only rescue an architectural treasure, but it would also provide a wonderful amenity to a growing Brooklyn community. In September, the pool will be opened again for use as a production space for a site-specific work by choreographer Noémie Lafrance. While we welcome this interim adaptive reuse, we look forward to a full restoration and its return to the community for use as a pool.

Help save the McCarren Play Center by contacting Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz at askmarty@brooklynbp.nyc.gov and asking him to provide the funding necessary to restore this pool, and by contacting the Landmarks Preservation Commission at comments@lpc.nyc.gov and urging them to designate the McCarren Play Center as a New York City Landmark so that the Commission can guide an appropriate restoration.