The Court Square Park fountain is removed as part of planned renovation work. Photo courtesy of Iztvan Ritz.
May 9, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
The Parks Department has removed a fountain in Court Square Park as part of planned renovation work, just one week after hundreds of local residents signed a petition calling for its preservation.
The fountain was removed on Thursday as part of a planned $4 million development first outlined in 2019. The upgrades, which were approved by Community Board 2 following a community input meeting in June 2020, included plans to replace the fountain, which has long been the centerpiece of the park, with a new central lawn.
The redevelopment plan also includes a new interactive spray area, along with added seating, game tables and expanded plantings. Renovation work began in February and is scheduled to be completed by February 2026.
More than 500 local residents had signed an online petition calling for the fountain to be preserved in the planned upgrades to the park, describing the structure as a “defining feature” of Court Square Park. Petitioners also said the fountain “complements” the historic Long Island City court house located at 25-10 Court Square.
Council Member Julie Won confirmed in a post on social media that the fountain was removed from the park on Thursday, May 8, stating that her office was not provided with a warning from the Parks Department.
However, Won said she respects the Parks Department’s decision and noted that the fountain would cost millions of dollars to repair or replace while also delaying the reopening of the park by up to five years.
“Although we mourn the loss of the fountain, we respect the decision the Parks Department ultimately made,” Won said in a statement. “We cannot keep this park closed for longer than it already is to redo a process that legally fulfilled its requirements already and was approved by the community board.”
Won also noted that the Landmards Preservations Commission (LPC) determined that the fountain was only installed in the 1980s and found that its removal will eliminate a “modern furnishing.” LPC additionally determined that the fountain “partially obscures” views of the historic courthouse.
The fountain has also not been operational for some time, Won added.
She said significant public funds have already been allocated to the Court Square Park project, adding that the capital project is “so far along” that it is unlikely that there will be any changes to design or construction.
NYC Parks Queens Borough Commissioner Jacqueline Langsam said in a statement prior to the fountain’s removal that the structure was installed in 1989 and has recently experienced “significant deterioration.”
“We look forward to Court Square Park’s reconstruction as a family-friendly attraction with more usable space,” Langsam also noted.
The Court Square Park fountain prior to it being taken down. Via Getty Images
However, advocates for keeping the fountain argued that the fountain does not have to be repaired or operational. They contended that the structure could have been repurposed as a flower bed in order to preserve its “historic” presence in the area.
“Now that repairs are needed, their solution is to remove it. Residents aren’t asking for the fountain to be repaired — we’re demanding that it stays in place,” said one petitioner, who asked to remain anonymous.
Istvan Ritz, who signed the petition, also produced photographs of the courthouse from the early 1900s, which appear to show another fountain in front of the historic building. He argued that historic photographs of the courthouse showcase that a fountain has almost always stood before it, even if the current fountain was only installed during the 1980s.
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.”
Ritz also 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.
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