The redevelopment of the former Lasker Rink and Pool in Central Park is nearing completion and slated to open in early 2025.
The new site, called the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, will be a state-of-the-art facility featuring the ice rink during the winter, a pool during the summer, and a public green space in the fall and spring. The center encompasses both the indoor facility and the outdoor site. One of the main differences of the revamped resource will be year-round access. The center is named after Kathryn and Andrew Davis, who donated $40 million to the project.
While open to all park-goers, the site will feature recreational activity aimed at serving the surrounding Harlem community and reconnecting Central Park to Black and Brown residents.
The entire project cost $160 million between investments of $60 million from the city and $100 million raised by the Central Park Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization responsible for raising the operating budget that has led in work in restructuring the north end since the 1980s. The design was a collaboration between the conservancy, Susan T Rodriguez | Architecture and Design, and Mitchell Giurgola Architects. Chief architects were Christopher Nolan, Susan T Rodriguez and John Doherty.
The Lasker Rink and Pool was erected in 1966 in Central Park. While it functioned for many decades, the site was marred with issues, needed renovations, and developed a reputation of being an eyesore for the community. According to the conservancy, it was a”systematically flawed and failing facility” that was flood-prone, obstructed access from the rest of the park, and was only open half the year.
Restoration work on the Meer began in 1986. Later in 2019, the new design was officially announced with ground first being broken physically in 2021.
New design
The Davis Center building will be covered by a green roof, blend with the topography of the site along its eastern slope, and be invisible from above, creating a more “scenic overlook.” Green roofs also create protection from urban heat island effect by providing shade and cooling. The indoor gathering facility will be underneath the roof that directly connects to the outdoor room of the pool/ice rink/public green space. Amenities inside the center will include women’s and men’s locker rooms, concession space, skate rentals, and public restrooms.
The public green is a new addition for the site; previously, the facility would be closed off in the spring and fall months. During the “shoulder” months of spring and fall, an artificial turf will be installed to create the green space for relaxing, playing games, picnics, wellness classes, and more activities.
The entire site is 8 acres; Central Park as a whole totals 843 acres. There was a major focus on making the project eco-friendly and sustainable. Repairing the ecology and hydrology of the site was fundamental to the new design. Sustainability was also important, involving natural and water-sourced materials such as the green roof, energy- and water-conserving systems, and bird-safe glass.
Harlem community access
One main component of the site will be to serve surrounding Harlem residents in response to the historic cutoff between the park and the community.
“We know that to many in the local community, Central Park has previously felt unwelcoming or exclusive in nature, and with this project, we aim to ensure that all truly feel welcome in this public space,” according to a spokesperson for the conservancy. “Harlem deserves world-class facilities and programming that prioritizes the community. The previous Lasker facility fell short in its design and offerings, and we’re working to fix that.”
According to the conservancy, the majority of the programming will be free or low cost, and local nonprofit partners will be able to use the space for programming. The conservancy’s 110th Street Harlem Gateway Coalition, a task force with local Harlem business owners, leaders, and longtime residents who work to make Central Park more of a welcoming space for Harlem, will also help in connecting the community with the new Davis Center. The group includes Community Board 10 members such as Karen Horry and Cicely Harris, Jessica Spaulding of the Harlem Chocolate Factory, pastor Wesley Wilson of the Second Canaan Baptist Church, Barbara Askins, president of the 125th Street BID, and more.
This latest attempt to bridge a gap between Harlem community members and Central Park evokes the story of Seneca Village, a predominantly Black settlement community that existed between 1825 and 1857 where the park is now. As New York was expanding, the settlement community was dismantled to build Central Park, and the mostly working- and middle-class Black community of Seneca Village was displaced. Properties were seized through eminent domain, a reflection of the continued gentrification that exists in Harlem and beyond.
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