Architectural style Art Deco, Other Area 53 ha Added to NRHP 7 September 2000 | NRHP Reference # 00001014 Year built 1906 | |
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Location Goulden, Reservoir and Sedgwick Aves., Bronx, New York | ||
The Jerome Park Reservoir is a reservoir located in Jerome Park, a neighborhood in the North Bronx, New York City. The reservoir is surrounded by DeWitt Clinton High School, the Bronx High School of Science, Lehman College, High School of American Studies at Lehman College and numerous apartment houses, including the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative, administered by the Park Reservoir Housing Corporation.
Contents
Map of Jerome Park Reservoir, Bronx, NY 10463, USA
HistoryEdit
The reservoir was built in 1906 to serve the New Croton aqueduct as part of the New York City water supply system. It is named for Jerome Park Racetrack, a part of the former Old Bathgate Estate which opened in 1866 and which was the site of the inaugural Belmont Stakes in 1867. The racetrack was condemned, bought by New York City and closed in 1889 to make way for the reservoir.
In 1996, residents organized under the leadership of Jerome Park Conservancy to stop the city from converting the site to a water treatment plant. It was thought that the noise, chemicals, and unsightly construction would decrease the quality of life for area residents, and have a negative impact on the learning environment at nearby schools.
The reservoir was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The related High Pumping Station had been listed in 1983.
The treatment plant was built in another part of the Bronx underneath Van Cortlandt Park. In connection with this work, the Croton system was taken offline and the reservoir emptied in December 2008. It was refilled and returned to service in early 2014. In November 2015, the DEP experimentally opened the perimeter to the public for tours.