McCarren Park
Encyclopedia
McCarren Park is a public park in New York City
, USA
. It is located in the Greenpoint
neighborhood of Brooklyn
, and is bordered by Nassau Avenue, Bayard Street, Lorimer Street and North 12th Street. It is operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
.
Originally named Greenpoint Park, the park was renamed McCarren Park in 1909 after Patrick Henry McCarren (1847-1909), an Irish immigrant who worked in the Williamsburg sugar
refineries and eventually became a powerful State Senator in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The park is a popular destination for recreational softball, volleyball, soccer, handball, and other games. It is also used for sunbathing and dog-walking. In late 2004, the park's track was resurfaced and has been a popular destination for running enthusiasts.
Events on the baseball fields of McCarren Park include members of the punk
and indie communities gathering to participate in league-controlled kickball tournaments. For several years, the baseball fields have hosted tournament play for the Hasidim
; weekend afternoons provide T-ball
and softball
games for organized area youth groups; Latino
families and friends often utilize the fields to play soccer and volleyball into the late hours of the night.
Since June 2003, McCarren Park has hosted The Renegade Craft Fair
, a DIY event. The fair attracts artists and creative types, featuring a wide range of merchandise such as reconstructed clothing, comic books, tote bags and other handmade goods.
McCarren Pool was the eighth of eleven giant pools built by the Works Progress Administration
to open during the summer of 1936. Mayor Fiorello La Guardia attended the dedication on July 31, 1936. With an original capacity for 6800 swimmers, the pool served as the summertime social hub for Greenpoint and Williamsburg. The building's vast scale and dramatic arches, designed by Aymar Embury II
, typify the generous and heroic spirit of New Deal
architecture.
The pool was closed in 1984. The reuse and reconstruction of the pool remained a contentious community issue for many years, until the community came to a consensus plan in 2001. The community sought to reconstruct the facility to encompass a skate park, an indoor recreation/performance center, and a smaller pool that could be converted to a seasonal ice rink. The plan was estimated to cost $26 million and had a good chance of receiving public funding, but unfortunately, the budgetary constraints of the City post-9/11 shelved the plan and the pool remained abandoned for the next few years.
In 2005, Clear Channel Entertainment
and gave $250,000 to the City Parks Foundation
, a private non-profit entity, to do basic stabilization and safety improvements to the pool structure. The first public event in the pool, a dance performance called Agora, was held by Sens Productions that summer. In the Summer of 2006, a number of free and cheap public events were held at the pool, including Jelly NYC's pool party series and the Williamsburg Film Festival. Clear Channel Entertainment's concert-promotion arm, Live Nation, put on a series of six concerts that were ticketed from $45-$52 (including ticket service fees).
In fall 2005, the City Parks Department sought an entity to manage the pool events for the summer of 2006, which many in the community interpreted to be a setup for a sweetheart deal with Clear Channel/LiveNation. In 2007, the pool is again being used for concerts, film screenings and other events. Many in the community would prefer that the pool be returned to its historic use as an active recreational facility, with some space dedicated to cultural events.
In the near-term, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation has committed to having the pool open for special events. As part of the 2005 rezoning of Greenpoint and Williamsburg the City appropriated $1 million in capital budget funds for restoration of the pool as a performance space, although the work has not yet begun. Also, $300,000 was allocated by the New York City Council in 2006 to support the construction of this seasonal rink.
In April, 2007, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that reconstruction of the pool was being funded as part of the City's PlaNYC
long-term planning initiative. Total budget was announced as $50 Million. Construction slated to start by 2009.
The last musical event at the venue was Wolf Eyes
, Times New Viking
and Vivian Girls
opening for Sonic Youth
on the 30th of August 2008. However, the plan brought to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in September 2008 called for a performance space to be included, along with a new pool, an ice-skating rink, a cafe, a community center, and an exhibition center.
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission approved of the pool's renovation plan on September 9, 2008. Final design renderings were completed in February 2009, and renovation work began in December 2009.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located in the Greenpoint
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Greenpoint is the northernmost neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bordered on the southwest by Williamsburg at the Bushwick inlet, on the southeast by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and East Williamsburg, on the north by Newtown Creek and Long Island City, Queens at the...
neighborhood of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, and is bordered by Nassau Avenue, Bayard Street, Lorimer Street and North 12th Street. It is operated by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
The City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation is the department of government of the City of New York responsible for maintaining the city's parks system, preserving and maintaining the ecological diversity of the city's natural areas, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's...
.
Originally named Greenpoint Park, the park was renamed McCarren Park in 1909 after Patrick Henry McCarren (1847-1909), an Irish immigrant who worked in the Williamsburg sugar
American Sugar Refining Company
The American Sugar Refining Company was the largest American business unit in the sugar refining industry in the early 1900s.-Establishment:...
refineries and eventually became a powerful State Senator in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The park is a popular destination for recreational softball, volleyball, soccer, handball, and other games. It is also used for sunbathing and dog-walking. In late 2004, the park's track was resurfaced and has been a popular destination for running enthusiasts.
Events on the baseball fields of McCarren Park include members of the punk
Punk subculture
The punk subculture includes a diverse array of ideologies, and forms of expression, including fashion, visual art, dance, literature, and film, which grew out of punk rock.-History:...
and indie communities gathering to participate in league-controlled kickball tournaments. For several years, the baseball fields have hosted tournament play for the Hasidim
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
; weekend afternoons provide T-ball
Tee Ball
Tee Ball or T-Ball is a sport based on baseball and is intended as an introduction for children to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic title.- Description :In T-Ball, the...
and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
games for organized area youth groups; Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
families and friends often utilize the fields to play soccer and volleyball into the late hours of the night.
Since June 2003, McCarren Park has hosted The Renegade Craft Fair
The Renegade Craft Fair
The Renegade Craft Fair is a free-to-attend event showcasing the handmade work and wares of independent craftspeople, artists, and designers. Vendors appearing in the fair come from an ‘indie-craft’ background or Do It Yourself culture. The Renegade Craft Fair was founded in 2003, and held its...
, a DIY event. The fair attracts artists and creative types, featuring a wide range of merchandise such as reconstructed clothing, comic books, tote bags and other handmade goods.
McCarren Park Pool
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
to open during the summer of 1936. Mayor Fiorello La Guardia attended the dedication on July 31, 1936. With an original capacity for 6800 swimmers, the pool served as the summertime social hub for Greenpoint and Williamsburg. The building's vast scale and dramatic arches, designed by Aymar Embury II
Aymar Embury II
Aymar Embury II was an American architect. He is best known for commissions from the City of New York from the 1930s through to the 1950s. In this period, Embury frequently worked with Robert Moses in the latter's various city and state capacities, especially, early on, in Moses capacity of Parks...
, typify the generous and heroic spirit of New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
architecture.
The pool was closed in 1984. The reuse and reconstruction of the pool remained a contentious community issue for many years, until the community came to a consensus plan in 2001. The community sought to reconstruct the facility to encompass a skate park, an indoor recreation/performance center, and a smaller pool that could be converted to a seasonal ice rink. The plan was estimated to cost $26 million and had a good chance of receiving public funding, but unfortunately, the budgetary constraints of the City post-9/11 shelved the plan and the pool remained abandoned for the next few years.
In 2005, Clear Channel Entertainment
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
and gave $250,000 to the City Parks Foundation
City Parks Foundation
City Parks Foundation is the only independent, nonprofit organization to offer programs in parks throughout the five boroughs of New York City...
, a private non-profit entity, to do basic stabilization and safety improvements to the pool structure. The first public event in the pool, a dance performance called Agora, was held by Sens Productions that summer. In the Summer of 2006, a number of free and cheap public events were held at the pool, including Jelly NYC's pool party series and the Williamsburg Film Festival. Clear Channel Entertainment's concert-promotion arm, Live Nation, put on a series of six concerts that were ticketed from $45-$52 (including ticket service fees).
In the near-term, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation has committed to having the pool open for special events. As part of the 2005 rezoning of Greenpoint and Williamsburg the City appropriated $1 million in capital budget funds for restoration of the pool as a performance space, although the work has not yet begun. Also, $300,000 was allocated by the New York City Council in 2006 to support the construction of this seasonal rink.
In April, 2007, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that reconstruction of the pool was being funded as part of the City's PlaNYC
PlaNYC
PlaNYC is an effort released by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2007 to prepare the city for one million more residents, strengthen the economy, combat climate change, and enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers. The Plan brought together over 25 City agencies to work toward the...
long-term planning initiative. Total budget was announced as $50 Million. Construction slated to start by 2009.
The last musical event at the venue was Wolf Eyes
Wolf Eyes
Wolf Eyes is a post-industrial/noise band from Detroit, Michigan, United States.-History:Wolf Eyes began as a solo project of former Nautical Almanac member Nate Young, with Aaron Dilloway joining in 1998, and John Olson in 2000...
, Times New Viking
Times New Viking
Times New Viking is a lo-fi indie rock band from Columbus, Ohio. The lineup consists of guitarist Jared Phillips, drummer Adam Elliott, and Beth Murphy on keyboards. Murphy and Elliott share vocal duties....
and Vivian Girls
Vivian Girls
Vivian Girls are an American band from Brooklyn, New York.- History :Vivian Girls, named after the magnum opus of outsider author Henry Darger, started in Brooklyn, NY in March 2007 as the trio of Cassie Ramone ; Katy "Kickball Katy" Goodman; and Frankie Rose...
opening for Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
on the 30th of August 2008. However, the plan brought to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission in September 2008 called for a performance space to be included, along with a new pool, an ice-skating rink, a cafe, a community center, and an exhibition center.
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission approved of the pool's renovation plan on September 9, 2008. Final design renderings were completed in February 2009, and renovation work began in December 2009.
External links
- McCarren Park Pool Event Guide and Directions
- Gotham Gazette: Endangered Historic Sites in NYC
- Gothamist Blog: McCarren Park Pool Controversy
- FreeWilliamsburg article on the recent history of the pool
- Free pool parties in Summer of 2006
- ForgottenNY: McCarren Pool
- Sens Productions - Agora Show
- Renegade Craft Fair
- New York Times Article on PlanNYC / Reconstruction
- NYC Parks & Recreation site
- "McCarren Park Pool Reconstruction Finalized" — Photographs and review of 2002 plans to revitalize the pool