Jacob Riis Park Historic District

Jacob Riis Park occupies a mile-long stretch of the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, and its core is a historic district of three seaside recreation buildings put up between 1932 and 1937. The largest is the brick Bathing Pavilion, a T-shaped complex with an open court holding 10,000 wooden cabanas, an arcade with octagonal turrets, and two four-story towers on the ocean side. Stoughton and Plonck designed the first section; the New York City Department of Parks enlarged it in 1936-37 with Clinton Lloyd and consultant Aymar Embury II. Two twin Central Mall Buildings face each other across the mall and hold a cafeteria and offices. The district matters as an example of Art Deco recreational architecture and planned public park design. Work Progress Administration funding paid for its construction, and it is linked to Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. The park opened July 3, 1937, was run by New York City until 1972, and then passed to the National Park Service.