Aug. 14, 2014 By Michael Florio
The long wait for the reopening of the plaza within Athens Square Park will soon be over, according to the parks department.
“We anticipate the site reopening by September,” a spokeswoman for the Parks Department said in a statement, adding that the revamp was scheduled to take one-year.
When the plaza reopens, it will feature many items that pay tribute to Greece—including paving stones inspired by an ancient Athens theater.
The Parks Department broke ground on the project last summer and the plan has been to reconstruct the plaza and its surrounding seating area.
The venue, located on the corner of 30th Street and 30th Avenue, is frequently used to host concerts and is a popular hangout for residents.
The site is being repaved and the performance area is taking the shape of the Sun of Vergina, a common symbol in ancient Greek art. In the sunken portion of the park, the pavers will be arranged in a diagonal checkerboard pattern, inspired by Athens’ Odeon of Herodes Atticus theater, which dates back to 161 AD.
These renovations will join a park already heavily influenced by Greek history, featuring a seated figure of Socrates, a standing figure of Athena, a bronze bust of Aristotle, and three Doric columns.
“We are looking forward to seeing Athens Square Plaza open,” said Councilman Costa Constantinides. “The park serves as a cultural center for the community with festivals and events held by neighborhood organization.”
The project will also bring new plantings, lights, fencing and recycled plastic lumber benches to the plaza, according to the Parks Dept. The cost is $850,000
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