May. 6, 2025 By sobrien
Court Square Park is currently undergoing renovation work. The park’s fountain is scheduled to be removed as part of the plans. Photo: Michael Dorgan
May 6, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
Hundreds of Long Island City residents have signed an online petition calling on elected officials and city agencies to halt the planned demolition of the fountain in Court Square Park.
The half-acre park, located directly in front of the ornate Long Island City courthouse at 25-10 Court Square, is currently undergoing renovations as part of a mayoral capital project first initiated in 2019.
The fountain, long recognized as the centerpiece of the park, is set to be removed and replaced with a new central lawn under a renovation plan first proposed by the Parks Department in June 2020. The current design, which includes the fountain’s removal, was approved by Community Board 2 following a public input meeting held on June 17, 2020.
Redevelopment of Court Square Park began this February and is slated to be completed by February 2026, according to the Parks Department.
However, hundreds of local residents have signed an online petition calling for the fountain to be preserved as part of the new plans, describing the structure as a “defining feature” of the small park.
Court Square Park fountain. Queens Post/File
“The fountain has long been a defining feature of Court Square Park, complementing the Courthouse and continuing its legacy as a symbol of the neighborhood’s history,” the online petition states.
The petitioners further state that they have seen archival photographs dating back to 1924 confirming its presence and its “significance to Long Island City’s vibrant past.”
However, an advisory report issued by the Landmarks Preservation Commission in December 2020 stated that the removal of the fountain will eliminate a “modern furnishing” from the park that “partially obscures” a prominent view of the historic courthouse.
NYC Parks Queens Borough Commissioner Jacqueline Langsam said in a statement that the department “works diligently” to maintain public artwork and fountains in parks across the city but noted that the current fountain was installed in 1989.
“While the Court Square Fountain, fabricated and installed for a 1989 project , will be removed due to its significant deterioration, we look forward to Court Square Park’s reconstruction as a family-friendly attraction with more usable space,” Langsam said in a statement.
Parks Department officials also stated that the fountain is in a state of disrepair, boasting significant corrosion and multiple cracks that prevent it from holding water. Furthermore, the upper basin is separating from the base, NYC Parks officials said.
“It would require an entire replacement of both the mechanical and electrical systems. For these reasons, the fountain is in such poor condition that it is not feasible to be repaired.”
NYC Parks officials also noted that community feedback is “integral” to the design process.
The petition, which has received 460 signatures at the time of writing, calls on Council Member Julie Won, the Parks Department and CB2 to intervene and halt the planned removal of the fountain.
Officials representing Won stated that members of the public did not voice concerns about the loss of the fountain during initial public input meetings in 2019. The Parks Department had also previously informed Won’s office that it will cost millions of dollars to repair the fountain, while any alterations to the planned work will delay the renovation to the park by up to five years.
Local residents, however, state that they were caught unawares by the plans, stating that the removal of the fountain flew “under the radar.”
Istvan Ritz, who signed the petition, stated that the CB2 input meetings were held during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and contended that the neighborhood’s make-up has changed drastically since then. Ritz said many people have moved to the neighborhood over the past five years and would not have attended an input meeting held long before they moved to the area.
Frank Wu, president of the Court Square Civic Association, told the LIC Post in 2020 that the loss of the fountain received a mixed reception, with many people stating that the fountain adds character and history to the area. However, Wu also stated that many residents, particularly those with young children, favored removing the fountain because a lawn would provide more room for children to play and more space for events such as pop-up markets.
The Parks Department told then-CB2 Chair Lisa Deller that the fountain had to be removed since it was in poor condition and would be expensive to repair and maintain. Current CB2 Chair Anatole Ashraf said Tuesday that CB2 “sympathizes” with the ongoing petition but said there is little the community board can do at this point.
“From a process standpoint, it’s out of our hands and over to the Parks Department,” Ashraf said. “With construction having begun, there’s no real avenue for us to involve ourselves at this point.”
Ritz, meanwhile, said the fountain would help retain the character and historical charm of the area.
“We really need to preserve that,” Ritz said. “We don’t want another grassy area with sprinklers… We have to preserve what we have.”
The fountain at Court Square Park, Long Island City. Via Getty Images
Ritz added that it should be possible to both preserve the fountain and install a grassy area around it, adding that he would be prepared to wait a few months longer for the park to reopen if the Parks Department were to alter the plans.
However, he conceded that he would have to “reevaluate” if the altered plans would take years to complete.
A Long Island City resident who signed the petition and wished to remain anonymous stated that the fountain complements Court Square and adds to the neighborhood’s historical value.
“They could just renovate the fountain,” the local resident stated. “I believe it will just be a downgrade for the park. It will downgrade how the courthouse looks. I think it will be just terrible.”
The resident said the Parks Department informed them that the park renovations have been in the works for years and are already underway, making it difficult to reverse course. They also expressed disappointment with the response from the Council Member’s office, noting that they and other advocates have reached out multiple times without hearing back. Won’s office rejected the allegation, stating that the Council Member responded to “every single constituent service request.”
Several residents also voiced concerns during a Community Board 2 meeting on May 1, calling it a “travesty” to remove the park’s fountain.
Online, numerous commenters responding to the original LIC Post article echoed those concerns, with many saying that the fountain’s removal would represent a significant loss to the neighborhood.
The $4 million park redevelopment plan includes a new interactive spray area, along with added seating, game tables and expanded plantings.