McCarren Park Pool

McCarren Park, 1920. Purchase a fine-art print here.

Originally named Greenpoint Park, North Brooklyn's McCarren Park first opened in 1906 and is today one of the most popular parks in the city, serving the vibrant and diverse communities of Williamsburg and Greenpoint. 

Built in 1936 at the height of the Great Depression, the McCarren Park Pool was the largest of the eleven city pools built by Park's Commissioner Robert Moses with Works Progress Administration (WPA) as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal program. Designed by architect Aymar Embury II with landscape architect Gilmore D. Clarke the pool featured a monumental Art Moderne-style bathhouse and archway, a state of the art filtration system, heating, and underwater lights, accomodating 6,800 swimmers at a time. The pool fell into disrepair closed in 1983 due to its derelict state caused by vandalism, graffiti, and a lack of proper upkeep. 

McCarren Park Pool, 2005

In the early 2000s, the pool was used for film screenings, performances, and concerts including bands including Sonic Youth and the Brooklyn's Beastie Boys. The pool and bathhouse were designated a historic landmark in 2007 and reopened in 2012 following a $50 million restoration with a smaller capacity (1,500) but added amenities including a community center, fitness center, and a basketball court.

McCarren Park Pool following restoration by Marvel Architects. Credit: Marvel Architects.