Update and Community Board Hearing on City’s Proposal to Demolish Tony Dapolito Recreation Center Next Wednesday, February 5 — PLEASE ATTEND + TESTIFY!

After much delay, a promised update from the City regarding their proposal to demolish the landmarked Tony Dapolito Recreation Center at Carmine and Clarkson Streets is now scheduled for next Wednesday, February 5 at 6:30 pm at Community Board 2 — see here. Though promised before the end of 2024, the City is now returning to the public and Community Board 2 to provide further information about their plans for the Center and their rationale for seeking demolition rather than restoration of the beloved, historic building. This follows overwhelming turnout opposing demolition plans at the last Community Board 2 hearing (which the City refused to attend), and the board passing a resolution calling for restoration rather than razing of the structure.
The City cannot demolish this city, state, and nationally landmarked building without going through several public approval processes. They have allowed the building to deteriorate and failed to undertake necessary repairs over the last five years and now, using specious arguments, claim it would be too expensive or too impractical to repair the building. If allowed to demolish the Center, the City won’t say what they would seek to replace it with, but we suspect they would seek to construct an oversized tower as they are proposing for “Gansevoort Square” (see below). Village Preservation has opposed this plan from the beginning, and engaged other preservation organizations from across the city and state to also oppose it.
We don’t know what the City will say at the February 5 meeting, but we strongly urge you to sign up to attend and speak strongly in opposition to demolition and in support of the Tony Dapolito Center being repaired and reopened.
TO HELP: