The future of a cherished recreation center in the West Village, home to a unique Keith Haring mural, hangs in the balance once more as mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani indicates support for preserving the aging facility rather than demolishing it.
The iconic Tony Dapolito Recreation Center in the West Village was initially set for $120 million in renovations following its closure to the public in 2021, yet it has since been slated for demolition after the Adams administration reversed its stance, citing the building’s irreparable damage in an announcement.
Mamdani, who leads the polls for the upcoming 2025 election for Gracie Mansion, has revived optimism among supporters of the existing structure with his endorsement for its rehabilitation.
<pDuring a town hall in September, Mamdani criticized the Adams administration’s decision to abandon the $120 million renovation plan, advocating for the preservation of the historic 1908 building and honoring Dapolito's legacy.
“It’s crucial not only to keep the commitments you have made but also to respect the promises made by those before you,” he stated.
A rally on Wednesday saw dozens of West Village residents, many with fond memories of the 117-year-old rec center, urging the Parks Department to realign its plans in accordance with the mayoral hopeful’s vision.
“During the summer, the pool was open even in September: the community really enjoyed it,” shared Christina Kepple, 60, a Bedford Street resident for over 30 years. “It was clean and beautiful… We shouldn’t see it demolished; we don’t need another high-rise building – definitely not that.”
For more than 50 years, Rachel Gelman has frequented the recreation center and described the struggle to save it as “maddening.”
“The most frustrating part was the dishonesty; we were assured, ‘We’re working on it, be patient,’ only to hear, ‘We’re going to tear it down,’” she lamented.
At the rally, Sommer Omar, founder of the Coalition to Save the Public Recreation Center Downtown, encouraged attendees to push for a course correction in light of Mayor Eric Adams’ recent withdrawal from the race.
“These amenities are not mere luxuries reserved for those with expensive gym memberships; they are essential resources that contribute to a dignified life for working New Yorkers,” she emphasized, referring to the center’s free swim lessons, senior activities, and after-school programs.
City officials had previously insisted that the aging recreation center, which includes indoor and outdoor pools as well as basketball courts, is beyond repair due to crumbling facades, non-compliant fire code stairs, and corroding steel beams that threaten the structure’s integrity.
A Parks Department representative confirmed to The Post that the site suffers from “serious structural issues,” and that restoring the building to meet modern recreational, health, safety, and ADA standards is impractical.
However, Andrew Berman, executive director of Village Preservation, argues that the center’s long history of neglect does not mean its structural problems can’t be addressed, calling the city’s shift in plans “hypocrisy.”
“If our city government can’t manage to repair an old building, what can they manage?” he questioned.
A 2024 letter addressed to Adams and endorsed by the Preservation League of New York State, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and other organizations maintains that the assertion the building is too difficult to repair “is entirely unfounded.”
According to the Parks representative, the city intends to honor the site’s legacy while delivering improved, accessible recreational facilities, including a “reimagined outdoor pool and pool house” on the current site.
The new pool complex will preserve the 18-foot-tall Keith Haring mural featured in “Raging Bull,” and will offer expanded recreational amenities, including a new indoor recreation center designed to be fully accessible near the forthcoming 388 Hudson Street affordable housing complex.
This complex will feature an ADA-compliant indoor pool, gym, and additional recreational spaces; however, advocates continue to hope that the historic site will remain preserved along the Clarkson Street corridor.
Mamdani is not the only mayoral candidate advocating for the preservation of the current recreation center. Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa told The Post that iconic buildings like the “magnificent” Tony Dapolito Recreation Center are what set New York apart from other cities and must be maintained.
“It’s a tremendous community asset,” Sliwa remarked. “We must preserve the old while supporting the development of the new, but not at the cost of losing our historical character.”
Requests for comments from the Andrew Cuomo campaign were not immediately addressed, and Mamdani’s campaign has yet to respond to inquiries regarding his plans for the center.
“It’s time for a reset. We also need to rebuild the trust that should exist between elected leaders and the constituents they serve,” Berman concluded.
“Now that the mayor is stepping away, the Tony Dapolito Center is here to stay.”
