Page 258 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City

256  NE W Y ORK CIT Y AREA B Y AREA

Queens 9,300-sq-ft (864-sq-m) pano r-
ama is the world’s largest
The city’s largest borough, Queens has a diverse variety of archi tectural model. It consists
attractions and a huge array of ethnic restaurants. From of 895,000 buildings, each one
the thriving Greeks, Egyptians and Bosnians in Astoria, carved out of wood, along with
to Woodside’s dynamic communities of Thais, Koreans and harbors, rivers, bridges, and
miniature airplanes gliding in
Filipinos; there’s a huge Chinatown in Flushing, plus Little and out of the airports.
India, Little Pakistan, Little Bangladesh and Little Colombia in Architect Aymar Embury III,
Jackson Heights – it’s a real melting pot of cultures. Long who also built Central Park Zoo,
Island City and Astoria also harbor major attractions. designed this grand structure in
a Modern-Classical style, with a
facade of colonnades supported
w Flushing was drained, and sewage works by limestone pilasters, trimmed
Meadows-Corona were built, helping to restore in dark, polished granite. The
Park the area. This site was to serve Queens Museum occupied
as the location for the 1939
the north side of the structure
q Willets Point-Shea Stadium. World’s Fair, at which a world on in 1972, with Rafael Viñoly
See Sports pp354–5. the brink of war saluted the bringing about the first
elusive notion of world peace. major renovation in 1994. After
The site of New York’s two World’s The Unisphere, symbol of another renovation in 2013, the
Fairs offers expansive waterside the 1964 fair, still dominates the galleries doubled in size. A large
picnic grounds and a multitude remains of the fairground. This glass facade was added, which
of attractions. These include the giant hollow ball of green steel, created a spacious, skylit atrium.
41,000-seat Citi Field stadium, built by the US Steel Corporation,
home of the New York Mets is 12 stories high and weighs
baseball team, and a popular a massive 350 tons.
site for rock concerts. Flushing
Meadows is also home to the
National Tennis Center (see p354– e Queens Museum
5), where the prestigious United New York City Building, Flushing
States Open is played. The courts Meadows-Corona Park. Tel (718) 592-
are open for would-be Nadals, 9700. q 111th St. Open noon–5pm
Sharapovas, and Federers for Wed–Sun. 7 - 8 free: 2pm, 3pm Interior of the Louis Armstrong
the remainder of the year. & 4pm Sun (English and Spanish). House Museum
In the 1920s this area was ∑ queensmuseum.org
known as the Corona Dump, r Louis Armstrong
a ghastly place of salt marshes Located next to the Unisphere, House Museum
and great piles of rotting the museum building is from
garbage. In The Great Gatsby, the 1939 World’s Fair, and is the 34–56 107th St. Tel (718) 478-8274.
author F. Scott Fitzgerald dubbed only remaining structure from q 103rd St-Corona Plaza.
it the “valley of ashes.” New the event. Originally designed Open 10am–5pm Tue–Fri, noon–5pm
York’s Parks’ Com missioner to house the New York City Sat & Sun. 8 hourly (4pm last tour).
∑ louisarmstronghouse.org
Robert Moses was the driving Pavilion, it later served as a
force behind its trans formation. recreation center. Today, the
A whole mountain of trash was galleries house temporary Legendary trumpeter Louis
removed, and the river was exhibitions, as well as two long- Armstrong (1901–71) lived here
totally rechanneled. The marsh term installations – the Neustadt from 1943 until his death in 1971,
Collection of Tiffany Glass, by when he was buried in the
Louis Comfort Tiffany, who nearby Flushing Cemetery. The
established his design studios in jazz artist’s relatively humble
the 1890s in Corona; and “From home has been preserved just
Watersheds to Faucets: The as he and his fourth wife, singer
Marvel of the NYC Water Supply Lucille Wilson, left it. Audio
System.” The star exhibit in the recordings made by Armstrong
latter is a large wood-and-plaster reveal every day goings-on
relief map of New York’s water- including Louis practicing his
supply system, created for the trumpet, enjoying a meal, or
1939 World’s Fair and kept chatting with friends. Guided
under wraps for decades. tours provide context to the
The museum’s other major displays and furnishings.
attraction is the Panorama of The visitors’ center across
The 1964 World’s Fair Unisphere at Flushing the City of New York, a product the street displays more of
Meadows-Corona Park of the 1964 World’s Fair. The Armstrong’s personal archives,

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