In last week’s Downtown Express, Aline Reynolds reported on the planned renovations to the World Financial Center by its owner, Brookfield Properties. Brookfield’s plans call for the W.F.C.’s Winter Garden to be expanded by 30 percent, which will allow more arts and cultural events to take place. The Winter Garden will also receive a new glass pavilion that would allow for more natural light.
Sadly, however, the Winter Garden’s grand marble staircase will be removed. Community Board 1 member Bill Love said of the stairs, “I’d really hate to see them go. They’re an iconic structure and a great benefit to the community in terms of performance space.”
Over the years, Downtown Express has highlighted many performances and cultural events in the Winter Garden. A September 2005 article by Vanessa Romo, entitled “Orchids to return to Winter Garden for Taiwan fest,” highlighted a six-day festival called TAIWANtoday. Romo reported that the festival would include tea ceremonies and Nan guan musical performances by musicians in traditional costumes. It also featured the return of the popular annual International Orchid Show to downtown for the first time since 9/11.
In a June 2005 brief entitled “‘Mad Hot’ Winter Garden,” the paper noted that “Elementary school students from around the city including P.S. 115, above, swung and foxtrotted in the Winter Garden ballroom last Thursday in the ninth annual Grand Final Colors of the Rainbow Team Match.”
And in January 2006, Josh Rogers reported that Bruce Springsteen had taken the stage at the New York Guitar Festival, which drew a crowd of 2,000 to the Winter Garden. “The event was across the street from the World Trade Center site and although Springsteen did write an entire album of songs about 9/11, “The Rising,” the concert would have been an unusual setting to talk about the Sept. 11 attacks and he did not mention them during his brief remarks to the crowd,” Rogers wrote.
— compiled by Andrea Riquier
