World’s Fair-New York State Pavilion
World’s Fair-New York State Pavilion
Roosevelt Ave./111th St./VanWyck Expwy, Queens
The New York State Pavilion from the 1964 World’s Fair is the most-nominated modern building in the EBI survey. As it continues to deteriorate, even as the adjacent Queen’s theatre brings new life back to the site, more and more preservationists and others are concerned about its future.
The Parks Department issued a Request for Expression of Interest (REFI) in 2004 for interested parties to propose restoration, adaptive reuse, and programming for the Pavilion. A few responses were received, but deemed non-feasible because of insufficient funding projections.
The University of Pennsylvania Graduate Student Preservation Program has also taken a keen interest in the structure. Under the direction of Frank Matero, students have provided valuable information to the Parks Department on the structure. An exhibit and demostration at the Queens Museum focussed on a detailed conservation treatment study of the fragile map of New York terrazzo floor, illustrating at full scale what it once looked like. The University has been exploring additional grant sources to study, stabilize, and restore the Pavilion.
Neighborhood:
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Building use type:
Public/Government
Condition:
Fair
Architect/Builder:
Philip Johnson & Richard Foster
Year built:
1964-65
Style:
Moderne
Predominant materials:
Stone
NYC Designation Status:
National Designation Status:
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