Out with the old, in with the new.
Community Board 2’s parks and land use committees enthusiastically received the city Parks Department’s plan to replace the beloved but deteriorating Tony Dapolito Recreation Center with a new facility across the street.
At the committees’ Wednesday meeting, Parks and the Department of Housing and Preservation jointly announced that the city is moving toward razing Greenwich Village’s sole city-run recreation center and building a replacement at the base level of an incoming affordable housing complex across the street at 388 Hudson Street.
The agency framed its plans as the most expedient and cheapest way to replace the rec center, which has remained closed due to structural issues since the pandemic.
“Essentially relocating Tony Dapolito recreation functions to 388 Hudson Street in this brand new recreation center would be the most efficient way to bring a modernized high-quality and well-programmed recreation center to the community,” said Parks spokesperson Joselyn Moser.
Though the committees did not formally issue an opinion on the plan to knock down the old recreation center, many members expressed they were open to it, and they passed a draft resolution supporting the construction of a new facility as part of the 388 Hudson development.
“Demolish it please,” said Coral Dawson, a public member of the parks committee.
Parks and HPD clarified to the board members that they envision a two-story, city-run recreation center with basketball courts and an underground pool that would incorporate the programs that the Tony Dapolito Center offered.
Next, the city will issue a request for proposals on the 388 Hudson project incorporating this plan. It will take several months to decide on a developer and even longer for the zoning process to run its course.
“We are looking at a number of years in this process, but quite frankly thinking that this is an efficient way to move forward with this project,” said Amy Pivak, a senior HPD staffer.
Plans for the existing rec center site are much murkier than those for building a new one. Parks declined to say much more beyond the fact that it’s “exploring demolition and future uses” of the site. The agency spokesperson did add that the city is considering keeping the outdoor pool and wants to keep the iconic Keith Haring mural outside the building intact.
Several community board members and members of the public urged the city agencies against selling the city-owned land underneath the old rec center if it does end up demolishing it.
Ultimately the committees issued a resolution formally supporting the new rec center construction at 388 Hudson in the interest of moving forward the city’s development process quickly.
The draft resolution also urged the city to offer some affordable local gym options in the interim period, preserve the outdoor pool and the Haring mural at the existing rec center, and maintain the condition of that site.
