It was bitterly cold last Monday so perhaps it was no surprise to see Teardrop Park empty, except for the fact that the new park’s imposing bluestone wall is supposed to be a winter attraction. Icicles were expected to form all up and down the east side of the wall in cold weather. There was in fact some ice, but not enough to draw attention.
Michael Van Valkenburgh, the Battery Park City park’s architect, was out of town, but he said through his assistant that they are still experimenting with the amount of water flow needed to create the desired icing effect.
DEC. 15: The wall two weeks ago.
When the $17-million, 2-acre park opened at Warren St. and North End Ave. Sept. 30, several officials mentioned the icing including Tim Carey, president and C.E.O. of the Battery Park City Authority who said the park would be “a glen that would have a sweeping bluestone wall that will weep in summer and turn to ice in the winter.”
Van Valkenburgh said then that he thought the icicles would form the first morning after a full night of freezing weather.
Leticia Remauro, a B.P.C.A. spokesperson, said on cold, windy days the authority wanted to be careful to control the water flow because they didn’t want it to blow onto the paths and create slippery conditions. She said the icing effect is working as expected, subject to the whims of nature.
—Josh Rogers
WWW Downtown Express
