History of the New York State Pavilion
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A Celebration of Perseverance: Significant Events in the History of the New York State Pavilion |
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Hover over photos to enlarge |
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1962 |
October 9- Groundbreaking: Nelson Rockefeller drives symbolic first pile |  |
Photo:NYSP Groundbreaking Booklet | ||
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1963 |
Mid 1963- Construction of Texaco Terrazzo map panels begin |
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Photo: John Pender and conlab.org | ||
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1963 |
October 28- Crown and Roof Raising complete |
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Photo: Josef Seebacher and nywf64.com | ||
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1964 |
April 22- Opening day: Rockefeller states two days later at the pavilion- “We spent an extra half million dollars on the building’s foundation just so that it could be a permanent thing” |
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Photo:NY Times Clip | ||
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1965 |
February- Committee formed by Mayor Robert Wagner issues a report on July 23 that the New York State Pavilion (NYSP) will be kept after fair |
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Photo:Dexter Press Postcard | ||
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1965 |
April 21- Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey visits the pavilion on re-opening day; first day of the second season |
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Photo: M. Silverstein | ||
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1965 |
October 17- Fair closes |
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Photo: Bill Cotter | ||
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1966 |
Renovations- Interior walls and doors added, stairs added and fire hose system added for art space, drop ceilings and lighting installed in interior rooms |
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Photo:Bill Cotter | ||
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1967 |
June 3- Grand reopening as part of the new Flushing Meadows Corona Park (FMCP) |
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Photo:nywf64.com | ||
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1969 |
Popular rock bands perform in the pavilion, such as the Grateful Dead in July and Led Zeppelin in August (Singer Bowl Music Festival) |
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Photo:Gary Meyer and ledzeppelin.com | ||
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1970 |
New York City considers removing the map and restoring it at the new World Trade Center |
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Photo:Charles Aybar | ||
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1972 |
Between Time and Timbuktu, a TV film based on stories by Kurt Vonnegut, was produced by National Educational Television and was telecast by WGBH-TV in Boston, March 13 |
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Photo: NET and WGBH | ||
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1972 |
March 17 the Roller Round roller skating rink opens leaving the map in place but it is sealed with a clear plastic coating |
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Photo: Charles Aybar | ||
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1972 |
Theaterama is used as community theater with some renovations, called the Queens Playhouse |
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Photo:M. Silverstein | ||
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1973 |
Episode of McCloud airs on January 7, taking place at the NYSP towers: “Showdown at the End of the World” |
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Photo:KDOC and youtube,com | ||
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1974 |
July- Rink closes |
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Photo: nywf64.com | ||
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1976 |
Roof panels removed due to danger of falling pieces |
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Photo: David Oats Collection | ||
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1978 |
The movie The Wiz features scenes at the NYSP |
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Photo: Universal | ||
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1985 |
Queens Playhouse closes |
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Photo: George Garrigues | ||
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1986 |
They Might Be Giants music video for |
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Photo: TMBG Video | ||
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1989 |
Queens Theatre officially established and opens rooms within the pavilion |
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Photo: Willy Mosquera / Ed Bridges | ||
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1991 |
Willy Mosquera from the Queens Theatre leads the effort to paint stripes on the pavilion, inside and out |
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Photo: Willy Mosquera / Ed Bridges | ||
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1993 |
Oct 16- renovated theater opens with the name Queens Theatre in the Park |
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Photo: Queens Theater | ||
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1994 |
Sometime between 1994 and 1996 the concrete laminate on the underside of the tower platforms was removed after the lower tower's collapsed unexpectedly |
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Photo: Bill Cotter | ||
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1997 |
Movie Men in Black filmed in the park including homage to the NYSP. Also included in two sequels |
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Photo: Universal | ||
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1998 |
1998 through 2007- TV Sitcom The King of Queens brought a glimpse of the NYSP into livingrooms in prime time splendor |
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Photo: CBS | ||
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1998 |
Partial reconstruction of the lower tower funded by Mayor Rudolph W. Giulianii |
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Photo: M. Silverstein | ||
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1999 |
A $165,000 lighting installation for the Queens Theatre In the Park funded by Borough President Claire Shulman |
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Photo: M. Silverstein | ||
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2000 |
Universal Studios in Florida installs a new ride- Men in Black Alien Attack with the NYSP towers as part of the facade |
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Photo: Parag Patre & Universal | ||
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2001 |
Proposal for Air and Space Museum developed and presented to NYC for reuses of the pavilion |
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Photo: nywf64.com and CREATE | ||
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2001 |
Blue globe lights installed on the tower platforms for a June Queens Museum of Art show. They remained lit until they slowly burnt out sometime in 2005 |
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Photo: M. Silverstein | ||
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2002 |
Parks installs a NYSP informational sign on the protective fence surrounding the base of the towers |
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Photo: M. Silverstein | ||
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2006 |
The History Channel sponsors a float in the Macy's Thankgiving Day Parade depicting the Unisphere and the NYSP towers |
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Photo: Macy's Studio | ||
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2007 |
June- the organization, World Monuments Fund, listed the New York State Pavilion on its 2007-2008 Watch List of the World’s 100 Most Endangered Sites |
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Photo: WMF | ||
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2007 |
January 2- NYSP makes and appearance along with the Unisphere on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" in the episode "Worlds Fair" |
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Photo: NBC | ||
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2007 |
University of Pennsylvania maps the map and pulls several terrazzo panels to restore for a Queens Museum of Art exhibition |
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Photo: conlab.org | ||
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2008 |
"The Texaco Road Map Project" exhibition runs from January 27 through May 4 |
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Photo: conlab.org | ||
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2008 |
New York State Pavilion and parts of FMCP, including the Unisphere, appear in the hit video game Grand Theft Auto IV |
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Photo: gta.wikia.com | ||
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2008 |
Loose items are removed from the pavilion, including Sky Streak Elevators, remaining blue globes, tower stairs tack welded and beacon replaced on highest tower |
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Photo: M, Silverstein | ||
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2009 |
September- Grass roots, all volunteer effort gains trust and permission to clean up and repaint the building. Work begins and continues through today |
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Photo: M, Silverstein | ||
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2009 |
October- CSI: NY films “Manhattanhenge” episode in the park and at the NYSP |
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Photo: CBS | ||
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2009 |
NYSP added to the National Register of Historic Places |
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Photo: National Park Service | ||
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2009 |
NYC Parks buries the map under sand, tarp and gravel to prevent further deterioration |
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Photo: S. Bohn | ||
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2010 |
NYSP plays a major role in the opening of the movie Ironman 2 as did FMCP as Stark Expo |
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Photo: starkexpo2010.com & Marvel | ||
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2010 |
September 23- New Queens Theatre lobby opens |
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Photo: S. Bohn | ||
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2012 |
May 23- Paint Project Crew installs new donated sign identifying the pavilion |
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Photo: S. Bohn | ||
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2013 |
Fall Issue- NYSP in feature article for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Preservation" magazine |
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Photo: M, Silverstein | ||
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2013 |
November- New York City Parks announces cost summary from latest structural studies to demolish, stabilize or restore the pavilion |
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Photo: NYC Parks | ||
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2014 |
50th Anniversary of the Fair. Release of "After the Fair" documentary, formation of conservancies and People for the Pavilion to help the park and to preserve the pavilion (see links below) |
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Photo: M, Silverstein | ||
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2014 |
April 22- "Open Gate on Opening Day" hosted by the NYSP Paint Project draws thousands of people to see the interior of the pavilion, open to the public for the first time in almost 30 years. An historic event! |
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Photo: S. Bohn | ||
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2014 |
May 18- NYC Parks' 50th/75th Anniversary Celebration of both Worlds Fairs in Flushing Meadows Park. Paint Project hosts another successful Open Gate event where over two thousand people visit the pavilion! |
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Photo: M, Silverstein | ||
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2014 |
June 26- The City allocates $5.806 million for the New York State Pavilion to help upgrade the structure’s electrical system, rebuild the staircases inside the three towers, and repair the concrete platforms supporting the observation decks |
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Photo: Queens Borough President's Office | ||
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2015 |
May 6- NYC & the Parks Department announce the
gratis re-painting of the NYSP crown by the local Bridge Painters Union and
their affiliates at a value of $3 million! May 22- Premiere of "Modern Ruin: A World's Fair Pavilion" Documentary. NYSP Cameo in the movies "Big Eyes" and "Tomorrowland" |
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Photo: S. Bohn |
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2015 |
May 30th the Crown project begins! August 21st the Crown painting completed! September 24th architects on site for preliminary design work on the tower restoration project. |
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Photo: S. Bohn | |||
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2016 |
Continued awareness for the NYSP: Successful International Ideas Competition, test lighting of the pavilion by QBP and more successful Open Gate Events! |
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Photo: S. Bohn | |||
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