New York World's Fair, NY pavilion 1972

[silvernail6]

I agree w/most here about this lack of care to the last "Grand" World's Fair. Went there w/family in '65 and to this day I DREAM about going back. My sister gave me a dvd compilation of the fair and look at the folks in attendance: suit jackets and dresses. We peaked as a society in '65. Been downhill ever since.

[SchindlerHaughton]

The condition of the pavilion resembles the condition of the state over the years.

Shame that they couldn't be bothered to keep this complex up, though. The actual pavilion might be salvageable, but I doubt that the towers are.

[68lincoln]

Wow in 1972 the NY State Pavillion towers still had the blue lights around the edges of the towers. I see a little rust but it could have been restored. When I visited in 1990 the towers were really getting rusty and the terrazzo tile floor map of NY state was still there about 90% ok but beginning to crumble. Former NYC mayors Dinkins (the worst) and right on thru to Bloomberg care NOTHING about historic preservation. They just overdevelop the entire city and restore NOTHING. It's sad.

[Q53bus]

Sad to say that the last elevator was sadly lowered down in February. Every day i pass by this pavilion i wish there was a way to have it saved. Seeing things like this makes me dislike this city in the way new york abandons its historic sites. Being at least called NEW YORK STAE PAVILION i assumed it should of been saved.

[JettRink50]

I just visited the fair in 2003. At least the

Unisphere is still there and protected, but

someday those towers will fall down.

[musicom67]

what a find!

[musicom67]

never knew Flushing Meadows Park was so windy, like in the middle of a wind tunnel. Sounds like Hurricane Katrina happening in the background sound track!!!! CHEEEEEEEZY!

[jeffbob4343]

I guess the entitlement programs for illegal aliens were more important.

[jeffbob4343]

An absolute crime that the remains of the fair were allowed to fall into ruin.

[cfery]

Agree totally. It was a supreme masterpiece, a huge timepiece for the ages. The marvelous, "spaceage" innovations of mid-sixties, such a tremendous feat. Never should have been allowed to just crumble and disintegrate. At least certain parts of it should have remained and kept maintained.

[lakewalker11]

In some ways the 64-65 World's Fair was the swan-song for the old great city of NY...with the coming of Lindsay in 66 the city began its long slide into crime, decay and bankruptcy, which continued until the 90s and the rennovation of Times Square, reduction of crime, etc. As someone who grew up in the days of the Fair, it will never be the same again...

[cfery]

Thanks so much for that very interesting perspective. Having never lived anywhere near NYC in my life, must say the name Mayor Lindsay is just barely recognizable. I've barely visited, I think only once!, since family and I attended the World's Fair in summer of '65. (Some part of it was already in process of dismantling, as I recall.) NYC's history, including the last half century is surely an incredibly fascinating one.

[lakewalker11]

John V. Lindsay was Mayor of NYC from 1966-1972. He meant well but his social services programs cost mega bucks, and led directly to the embarassment of the mid-70s, when NY had to go begging to the Federal goverment for money, leading to one of the most famous headlines of all time: "Ford to City: Drop Dead". (That was President Ford. Naturally, no one had time to worry about the World's Fair relics in those days. A shame.