Park’s fifth avenue sidewalk being repaved

BY BIANCA FORTIS

Observant pedestrians traveling along the idyllic, tree-lined sidewalk of Lenox Hill’s Central Park border may notice a few changes.

Work is being done on the perimeter of the park between East 60th and East 65th Streets along Fifth Avenue. Existing pavements and curbs are being replaced, pedestrian ramps are being reconstructed and new benches are being installed.

The work has been done in five phases, beginning at East 65th Street and moving south one block at a time. The bus lane had been used as a walkway to detour pedestrians.

The project follows the reconstruction of the East 64th Street park entrance, where a wheelchair-accessible ramp was constructed.

The Perimeter project is funded by Michele and Martin Cohen, who have provided funding to a number of institutions around the New York metropolitan area, including a $10 million gift to City College’s Division of Science. Additional funding comes from the New York City Parks Department and the Paulson Family Foundation, which last year contributed $100 million to the Central Park Conservancy.

The Fifth Avenue Perimeter project is but one of a series of restoration projects currently in progress at Central Park. Other projects with targeted completion dates of Fall 2016 include the conservation of the King Jagiello Monument, the reconstruction of the five historic boat landings on the lake’s shoreline — four of which have been completed — and the restoration of the West 84th Street-Mariners’ Playground, part of the Conservancy’s plan to update Central Park’s 21 playgrounds.

More information about other Central Park restoration projects is online at www.centralparknyc.org/restoration.