{"id":238029,"date":"2026-05-20T14:41:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T14:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/238029\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T14:41:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T14:41:40","slug":"mamdani-reopens-historic-orchard-beach-pavilion-after-114-million-reconstruction-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/238029\/","title":{"rendered":"Mamdani reopens historic Orchard Beach Pavilion after $114 million reconstruction project"},"content":{"rendered":"

The historic Orchard Beach Pavilion in the Bronx<\/a> has reopened in time for summer after being shuttered for more than 17 years, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Hizzoner and other city officials on May 20 unveiled the newly restored 140,000-square-foot pavilion<\/a> following a $114 million makeover project on one of the Big Apple\u2019s most famous waterfront areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Officials said the project was a preservation and modernization effort for the city. Along with restoring architectural details, workers rebuilt structural elements such as roofs, columns, terracotta finishes, and metalwork on the 115-acre public beach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is also expanded ADA access. New trees, more lighting and upgraded restrooms are part of the deal.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Nature remains a key part of the Orchard Beach experience, with a nature center offering visitors a chance to learn about local wildlife through programs led by the Urban Park Rangers, exhibits and live marine displays. Along with the newly reopened ground floor of the pavilion, visitors can head to the upper balconies to enjoy views of the beach and Long Island Sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo longer can the Bronx be treated as an afterthought in a city of five boroughs,\u201d Mamdani said. \u201cAs beach season approaches, Bronxites and New Yorkers from across this city will once again be able to gather at the Bronx\u2019s only public beach in a space worthy of this community and its history.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Built in 1936 with funding\u00a0secured\u00a0largely\u00a0through\u00a0the Works Progress Administration, the pavilion\u00a0has been fully closed since 2009.\u00a0Known for\u00a0its striking columns, limestone cladding, bright blue tiles\u00a0and terrazzo flooring, the pavilion was\u00a0designated\u00a0a landmark\u00a0by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission\u00a0in 2006.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A new look for Orchard Beach here; food is near<\/p>\n

New ramps make the pavilion easier for visitors to access, while renovated concession areas will ultimately bring new food, shops and upgraded infrastructure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reopening of the Orchard Beach Pavilion is an exciting investment that reflects the city\u2019s commitment to world-class public spaces for New Yorkers to enjoy in all five boroughs,\u201d Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson said. \u201cWe\u2019re thankful to our partners across city government who helped restore this landmark and ensure it is accessible and open to all New Yorkers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

To\u00a0improve\u00a0accessibility, the landside\u00a0entrance now includes\u00a0new ramps\u00a0leading\u00a0to the upper level of the\u00a0pavilion. On the beach side,\u00a0a curved\u00a0brick-clad accessible ramp connects the upper level\u00a0to the lower plaza near the beach, ensuring\u00a0all visitors\u00a0can move through the\u00a0pavilion with\u00a0equitable\u00a0access\u00a0for the first time.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Historic concession spaces within the pavilion are being\u00a0rebuilt\u00a0to accommodate new\u00a0food and retail offerings, with\u00a0upgraded\u00a0mechanical, electrical\u00a0and plumbing systems for\u00a0long-term resiliency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Officials selected Unwind Hospitality Group, who will work with local vendors, to run on-site food service and merchandise spaces.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Concession spaces are expected to open later this summer, but New Yorkers will have to wait until 2027 for the pavilion\u2019s restaurant space to be unveiled.\u00a0<\/p>\n

New York City\u00a0public beaches officially open for the season on Saturday, May 23.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The historic Orchard Beach Pavilion in the Bronx has reopened in time for summer after being shuttered for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":238030,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[128,93023,9,24,63,93024,22458,93025,129,131,130,82],"class_list":["post-238029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-the-bronx","tag-bronx","tag-historic-pavilion-at-orchard-beach","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-nyc-beach-season","tag-nyc-parks","tag-orchard-beach","tag-the-bronx","tag-the-bronx-headlines","tag-the-bronx-news","tag-zohran-mamdani"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}