Courtesy of WXY Architecture
Courtesy of WXY Architecture
Why do we keep putting awesome carousels in A-zone hurricane areas? Anyway, this $12 million "21st century" SeaGlass carousel is set to open in Battery Park in October—it will simulate fish-swimming patterns, and feature fish, dolphins, angelfish instead of traditional merry-go-round land animals. It will also place riders in the fish, instead of on top of them. The sea life were created by Broadway set designer George Tsypin, who worked on The Little Mermaid musical.
The aquatic-themed carousel is 46-feet-wide with a spiraled turntable designed to simulate the ocean floor. WXY Architecture's Claire Weisz says, “In addition to a carousel, it’s a theater. For people of all ages, it will create one of those moments when you feel great to be in New York City.”
According to the Daily News, Battery Conservancy President Warrie Price helped raise around $4 million in funds for the project, while the other $8 million comes from city budgets and the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. Price says, "There is nothing like this in the history of carousels."
There was a "topping off" ceremony today when the final roof panel was placed on the structure, which sits where the New York Aquarium was from 1896 through 1941.
