By June 30, the City Council will conclude negotiations and vote on the Mayor’s proposed 2026 budget, which includes $52 million for demolishing the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center. But will they do what multiple downtown community groups and preservation organizations from across the city and state have called for, and ensure that $52 million is earmarked for renovation rather than destruction, and kick in any additional funds as needed to ensure the long-neglected community resource and landmark is reopened?

We’ll know soon. So far Councilmember Erik Bottcher (who will largely decide) and fellow local elected officials like Borough President Mark Levine haven’t committed to doing so. They’re only asking the Mayor to wait a little longer on their demolition plans until they can provide more details on what they want to do with the site, even though the public and the Community Board have overwhelmingly called for restoration and opposed demolition of the center. Such delay will allow the long-shuttered center to deteriorate further and make renovation that much more difficult, and may lead to the Parks Department moving ahead with demolition regardless of what local electeds ask for if they get the money to do so. It’s also giving the City yet another “do-over” when the public has spoken, hoping for a different outcome.

The ONLY way to ensure the Tony Dapolito Center is reopened and not destroyed is for Councilmember Bottcher to ensure that the City Council only approves funding for restoration and not demolition in the 2026 budget that will be voted on by June 30.

TO HELP: