NYC launches $51M plan to rebuild pool complex, save massive Keith Haring mural but some say it isnt enough

The city is planning a $51 million reconstruction of an abandoned Manhattan pool facility that would spare a massive Keith Haring mural – but some locals say it won’t be enough.Mayor Eric Adams’ proposed city budget would replace the Tony Dapolito recreation center even though some residents think the city should fork over enough to keep the old building intact.“We were very excited to announce a $51 million investment to reconstruct the historic Tony Dapolito outdoor pool in Manhattan, including the preservation of the beloved mural created by famed artist Keith Haring,” city parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue at a City Council budget hearing on Tuesday.Famed street artist Haring painted the mural in the pool area of the fitness facility in 1987, but its fate remained unclear as the center fell into disrepair and preservationists feared a demolition could damage the art.In 2019, city officials found that the aging building — which was widely considered a neighborhood treasure among West Village locals when it was usable — was too dangerous to remain open to the public.

The rec center subsequently shuttered, and plans for its renovation became a point of contention among advocates and city officials over the past few years.The Coalition to Save the Public Recreation Center Downtown is an advocacy group against the full demolition of the historic building — now joined by more than 20 member organizations that have been fighting for preservation.“This promised capital is a start, but not a final solution,” the group’s founder Sommer Omar said at the City Council hearing.

“The City Council must ensure full funding for a complete repair and modernization of the building, not demolition, not privatization, and certainly not further delay.”It’s not clear when the project to reconstruct the center will begin, but the funds will be available in the FY26 budget.The Haring Foundation, which oversees Keith Haring’s works, did not immediately respo...