By Gus Saltonstall
The first renderings of the planned redesign of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Riverside Park near West 89th Street were presented to Upper West Side Community Board 7 earlier this week.
The $62.3-million project, which was announced in January, 2023, will involve a complete restoration of the monument, providing ADA accessibility to all exterior levels, and adding lighting that “is safe, secure, easy to maintain, and elevates the appearance of the monument’s facade at night.”
The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument has been closed to the public since 2017, when inspectors found drainage issues that threatened the collapse of the retaining wall. The closure of the monument, which was first constructed in 1902 and designated a New York City landmark in 1976, has come along with a metal fence that means nobody has been able to touch the structure for years.
The monument’s last major restoration was in 1962.
The design for the restoration project is expected to be completed by June, 2025, and the estimate for project completion is the end of 2027, CB7 Chair Beverly Donohue informed the Rag.
The Board approved a resolution in favor of the redesign at the end of the meeting.
The Upper West Side will host its annual Memorial Day commemoration at the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Riverside Park at West 89th Street at 10 a.m. on Monday. For more details click —HERE
Here is a collection of renderings to check out.
You can watch the Parks Department presentation on the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, which starts around the 1:22:31 mark — HERE.
Subscribe to West Side Rag’s FREE email newsletter here.
This is great news. Cant believe its been 7 years since it was closed off.
Great news! Long overdue and greatly appreciated.
$62.3 million!!?
Excellent skateboarding opportunities!
The design is lovely, but how will they protect the steps from skateboarders?
Spikes.
Ideally, they’ll be reinforced! That way, people can skateboard in peace.
Any talk of renovating the inside of the structure and opening it to the public?
It’s an absolute tragedy that over $60 million is being spent on this when there is so much critical improvements that need to be done within Riverside Park and along Riverside Drive. I would be happy to take anyone a tour. Especially after a rain. And $62 million will end up being $80+ million. This is government spending decision making at its worst. Remind me again why East Side access was so important for $ 12 billion when we still can’t take a train to either airport ?
I grew up at 87th & Amsterdam and often played at or near this wonderful Memorial to the Union men who fought in the Civil War The nearby slope was a favorite sledding ground after snowstorms. So happy to read about this restoration. Of course, it now also honors those who served in all Wars and actions since, as both I and my daughter have.
It’s very important to maintain our city’s historical landmarks but living very close to The Soldiers & Sailors Monument, I’m even more thrilled with this coming restoration project! Even in its decay and disrepair it has always held its beauty and serene contemplative aura! The renderings of what’s to come are quite fabulous and I’m already excited for the unveiling!!
Looking good!
The only major difference I noted structurally is that there is a stretch of the sidewalk between the monument and the street that is being made a lot narrower to accommodate more plantings. And there is a tree in the middle of that narrowed stretch. That doesn’t seem like a good idea.
Everything else seems nice enough.
$62.3-million project!
If we don’t have the adequate budget for essential services to keep our citizens safe, i.e… bringing more officers to the force [with the greatest of respect for our service men and women, of which my father was one] is this the appropriate time to allocate the large sum of 62.3 million to refurbish the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument here in district 6?
First of all, it should never have been allowed to deteriorate to this state, but this is the UWS and what it rightfully honors/represents has not been a priority here. To bad the city and our local elcteds could not get their act together to get it done. The plan was set to be done at between 29-30 million in 2017, as per the approved parks dept plan with Perkins/Eastman.
They could have finished it even before C19.
Now it’s in worse shape and the price has doubled to 62.3 million, double the 2017 price. Why?
I am very pleased to see this project going forward, and that it appears to maintain the beaux-arts elegance of the original structure. One question: I can’t tell from the drawings whether the wonderful late – 19th Century canons that now grace the esplanade will be maintained. I hope so: they give context and authenticity and historical interest (and interest small boys to boot).
I’m glad it’s being improved but this cost is insane. What are our community leaders doing to manage cost?
I love this glorious monument and am thrilled it will be restored. It honors the fallen in a war with the highest body count by far of any Americans have fought, and it was fought for sacred causes: to end the nightmare pf slavery and preserve the Union. I’m retired. and I often spend time there reading and sometimes writing. The sight of the Monument always moves me deeply.
Wait until a group of social protesters decides in the future that this monument is racist or some other name tagged to it, and will go ahead to deface or destroy it. After all, the name sailors and soldiers is associated with it and this may sound to them as a colonialist theme park. It’s kind of far fetched, but not really in the age where Abe Lincoln’s statues have been defaced and destroyed.
$62,000,000???
They could build a hotel for all of the Soldiers and Sailoirs
I understand the historical importance of the Monument and the sentiment that surrounds it. But I would suggest a more modest restoration project: Spend 31 million to fix that retaining wall and anything else that requires repair urgently, and make the site ADA compliant. Use the other 32 million to restore the cuts to our library system, which has more positive impact on the citizenry than the spiffiest monument..
Wonderful. Hope when it’s finished it will receive regular care and maintenance so that it won’t fall into disrepair and cost millions more to rehab.
Please just get this done ASAP without the usual posturing and kvetching that mars and delays any UWS project. I fear for the completion of the 79th Street marina before 2030.
60+ million for that is simply theft.
Reduce regulation, fix other areas of the park needing help at a fair price.
Please include some simple anti-skate-boarding deterrents: additional handrails and speed bumps on the ramps and steps, arm rests on the benches, textured pavement that would be ok for walking but bumpy for skateboard wheels, etc. The skateboarders have ruined the current steps and benches and often make ordinary pedestrian use of the area unpleasant and even dangerous.