According to their website, Terrace on the Park in Corona, Queens has been New York City‘s most recognizable event venue for over thirty years. Yeah, nice try, but it’s a fascinating snippet of hubris nonetheless. Though, it might be one of the more recognizable event sites in the city after all. They are a dime a dozen in Manhattan, but this one slice of weird architecture, proudly (awkwardly?) standing tall in the middle of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, doesn’t quite blend in with its surroundings. Also, even as a native New Yorker, I had no idea that it is primarily used for weddings and various other receptions these days. Want to know why? When I passed it by a few weeks ago, it was deserted and closed, not to mention, the beam in the middle looks as if there’s a bizarre faded version of the USA hanging from it…What kind of turncoats are running this place?
Let’s hear it for the benefit of the doubt: It was March and the late afternoon during a weekday, thus not exactly the most popular time of the year for marriages. Oh, and it’s original purpose was to serve as a heliport and exhibition hall during the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair.
I’d like to check out the views sometime, particularly to snap a photo or two of the best airport in the world (it’s opposite day), LaGuardia, or to get ideas about what to have for dinner:
Yes, that’s a petting zoo below.
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Could you see yourself celebrating something, anything atop New York’s Terrace on the Park?
buildingmybento 
You’ve found the ugliest heliport cum wedding reception site I’ve ever seen. Perhaps a good setting to celebrate the end of “The American Century” that the media keeps trying to predict?
Is that the latest architectural trend in the mainland;)? First, it was geodesic domes in the middle of shopping centers and ferris wheels on bridges, and now, helicopter-focused reception halls. Sounds like inspiration for Japanese love hotels.
Have you visited NYC?
Queens would be an interesting place in which to celebrate it, considering the demograhics.
I was in NYC one week back in 1994. Almost doesn’t count as being there.
Here’s a view from the top of the Terrace on the Park. I snuck up there one snowy day because I was documenting the borough of Queens and wanted to show a panorama of my own (unlike the one in Queens Museum). My photographic series about Queens and its residents (new Americans, their rituals and traditions) took place from 1985-2010. I’m working on an book project about it. Cheers!
Oops, I didn’t see any instructions for posting photos. Is there a way to do it? Thanks!
Thanks for your comment, Audrey! I’m not sure if my current WordPress(without Plug-ins) account allows for photos embedded in comments, but if you have a link to your portfolio, that would be great!
a relative of mine had her wedding reception there. it was remarkably memorable.
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