March 02, 2007
Central Park's Bethesda Terrace arcade reopens
It was in 1980s when it was discovered that after more than a century, the tile-ceiling arcade at Central Park's Bethesda Fountain was suffering from severe corrosion.
A long and labor-intensive $7 million process resulted in the reopening this morning of the arcade, with its rare Minton-tile ceiling repaired, reinstalled and in some places, replaced.
This is extremely good news for restorationists, romantics and even the joggers, who were already making use of the reopened arcade before the ribbon-cutting ceremony was complete this morning.
The tile ceiling of the arcade, which sits across from the Bethesda Fountain and under 72nd Street as it crosses Central Park, was designed in the mid 1860s by Calvert Vaux and his assistant Jacob Wrey Mould with tiles made by the Minton Company of Stoke-on-Trent, England. The not-for-profit Central Park Conservancy commissioned Maw and Company, Minton’s successor, for the repair process.
 The 15,876 pieces of tile were in storage for about 20 years awaiting restoration and today's official reinstallation. The arcade tiles, usually used for flooring, are the only known use of Minton encaustic ceramic tiles used in a suspended ceiling.
Although the underground passageway has reopened, all the work's not completely picture perfect yet. The Conservancy is still working on reconstruction, waterproofing, and repaving of the upper terrace plaza, with construction gear all along 72nd Street and near either side of the fountain.
More pictures: Restoration of Bethesda Terrace Arcade (Gothamist)
Earlier: Arcade at Bethesda Terrace reopens Friday with tours
More pictures after the jump.
March 2, 2007 05:00 PM in Architecture, Cheap Stuff, History, Romance, Sightsology, Upper East Side, Upper West Side
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