In place of what was once considered Central Park’s biggest eyesore, the Davis Center in the northeast corner of the 843-acre park will reopen tomorrow after three years of construction, park stewards announced Friday.
The completion of the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, which will open to the public Saturday following its ribbon-cutting Friday, marks the Central Park Conservancy’s most significant undertaking since the public-private partnership was founded in the 1980s.
The center’s $160 million transformation features an Olympic-sized swimming pool that converts into an ice rink in the winter and a public green, called the Harlem Oval, in the “shoulder” seasons, allowing access all 365 days of the year. The previous Lasker Pool and Rink was only open for half the year.
“We are incredibly proud of what this project represents: a Central Park that continues to evolve to meet the needs of the communities that surround it, and our commitment to ensuring every part of it serves the millions of visitors who enjoy it each year,” Betsy Smith, president and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, said in a statement.
With an entrance on 110th Street, just south of Harlem Meer lake, the restored section of the sprawling green space spans about eight acres and includes the 34,000 square-foot building with a 29,000 square-foot vegetated roof, which was designed by the architecture firm Susan T. Rodriguez.
Darline Lalanne, who grew up just steps from the park after emigrating from Haiti with her family at age 7, now serves as the director of public programs for the Central Park Conservancy and will act as the general manager of the new Davis Center. She told Crain’s a few months ago that as part of her new role, she hopes to strengthen community ties to the uptown part of the park that has been historically neglected.
“I’m really dedicated to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their income, feels that this space is meant for them and has a chance to experience this beautiful oasis,” Lalanne told Crain’s in February.
The project was first announced in 2019 and broke ground in 2021. It was ultimately completed with the help of a $60 million contribution from the city, while the conservancy itself raised $100 million in private donations, including $40 million from Kathryn and Andrew Davis — for whom the center is named.
The philanthropic couple is active throughout the city and on Long Island. Andrew serves as vice chair of the Central Park Conservancy and sits on the Board of Trustees of New York-Presbyterian and the Southampton Hospital Foundation, while Kathryn’s board positions include the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy and the Administrative Board of the Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
