Building Name
Mineral Spring Building and Central Park Zoo
Year(s) Built
Mineral Spring Building 1959; Central Park Zoo 1936 and 1980s
Designation
Central Park
Scenic Landmark
Project Information:
Central Park is an English Romantic style public park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1856; Mineral Spring Building is a comfort station and concession building built c. 1959; and the Central Park Zoo is a zoo remodeled from a menagerie in 1936 and again in the 1980s. Application is to install WiFi antennas.
LPC Hearing: 04/24/12 (Approved with modifications)
FRIENDS' Testimony:
While the Preservation Committee at FRIENDS understands the Department of Parks & Recreation’s right to provide WiFi to its visitors, the proposed antennas were found to be inappropriate due to their prominent placement and jarring design. If it does not affect the functionality of this equipment, the committee would prefer that the antennas be set back from the primary façades or moved to less conspicuous portions of these buildings. We wonder if the Department of Parks & Recreation has investigated other methods that might help to successfully camouflage these intrusions. We urge the Commission to work with the applicant in exploring an alternative installation.