By Annabelle Blair
Terrace on the Park, the 1964 World’s Fair landmark that has become a top wedding venue in Flushing Meadows, unveiled a $9-million renovation for the press and events planners Wednesday.
The five-year restoration and redesign project included 12,000 new roof pavers, 3,000 gallons of paint, 3,000 square feet of carpet, LED-lighting, architectural ceilings, granite floors and a rooftop patio cover.
Originally constructed by the MTA as a restaurant and heliport for the 1964 World’s Fair, Terrace on the Park is notable for its signature T-shaped towers, 120 feet high, and its views of Flushing Meadows Park and beyond.
The venue has hosted high school proms, the Beatles, $100,000 weddings and a host of New York mayors, according to a 2011 New York Times article. It was voted best 2017 wedding venue in New York by couples on the online site Wedding Spot.
“Many people in Queens are fond of it,” Queens historian Jeffrey Kroessler told the New York Times in 2011. The structure symbolized the “optimism” of the mid-1960s, he said.
A new Promenade level was created near the top, just below the ballroom level. The new Lotus and Marquis Suites can accommodate 200 people each, officials said. Private entrances, custom bars, mosaic tile and LED lighting integrated into the architecture are a few improvements.
Outside renovations include new gardens and an annual landscaping budget of more than $100,000. Five locations are now available for ceremonies and events.
The indoor Wedding Chapel has been redesigned with polished wood and a stone aisle to the altar. The ballroom sports custom lighting and new carpets and flooring, while retaining some of Terrace’s signature inlaid wood dance floors. Optic Wi-Fi service and multimedia equipment allow for electronic media presentations during events or meetings.
Bruno Marques, Terrace’s general manager, said the project included enhancements to nearly all of Terrace on the Park.
“We have undertaken this work to preserve the heritage of this incredible piece of New York’s history,” he said. “In doing so, we have made Terrace On The Park new again for new generations of New Yorkers, with a vision for the future that is just as big and breathtaking as our views.”
