14B — March 27 - April 9, 2020 — Owners, Developers & Managers — M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal
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UEENS, NY — Crys- tal Window & Door Systems , the award- Manufacturer donated materials for Queens Museum’s Historic Exhibit Crystal Windows cuts the ribbon on restored panorama of NYC Glass Walkway Q
York City, originally created for the 1964 World’s Fair. At almost 10,000 s/f, it is the larg- est architectural scale model in the world and is surrounded by an elevated visitor viewing walkway. Four sections of the perimeter walkway use glass floor panels to permit viewing of the model below. Thomas Chen , founder and chairman of Crystal Windows, has been a member of the Queens Museum’s Board of Trustees for the past 10 years. When the replacement of the existing obscured, scratched, and discolored glass walkway panels became a priority, Chen
stepped up to donate resources for the project, saving the Mu- seum tens of thousands of dol- lars in capital expense. “It was a pleasure to be able to assist in preserving this treasured replica of New York City,” said Chen. “Crystal is al- ways glad to lend a hand for our neighbors in this great city.” At the ribbon cutting re- ception attended by nearly 70 guests, Queens Museum president & executive director Sally Tallant thanked Chen and Crystal Windows for the donation. “Over the years as a Trustee, Thomas has raised hundreds of thousands of dol-
lars for the Museum,” said Tallant. “However, today’s gift is priceless.” “Because of Crystal’s gener- ous donation, visitors to the Queens Museum will be able to fully enjoy the experience of the Panorama once again,” added Debra Wimpfheimer, COO for the Museum. Signage placed along the glass railing of the walkway states “Crys- tal Walkway − glass flooring generously donated by Crystal Window & Door Systems.” As a thank you, Queens Museum Trustee Seth Kupferberg, of Flushing business Kepco, Inc., presented Thomas Chen with the ceremonial title to the Crys- tal Window & Door Systems’ Queens factory land parcel on the Panorama. The refurbishment used 248 laminated and tempered glass pieces totaling almost 1,500 s/f supplied by Tempco Glass Fabrication of Flushing, NY and Cardinal Glass Industries of Jessup, PA. The Panorama of the City of New York was commissioned by Robert Moses and was built by renowned model maker Ray- mond Lester & Associates for the 1964 World’s Fair, at a cost of $673,000, comparable to $5 million today. It took 100 mod- el makers three years to create 895,000 to-scale structures in the Panorama representing the actual buildings, bridges, airports, and parks in all five Boroughs of New York City. The model structures, many hand-painted, are crafted from wood, plastic, Formica, foam, paper, and even etched brass for the bridges. The lighting system for the entire Panorama was recently updated with LED lights operating in a continuous cycle to replicate day and night, with many model buildings decorated with phosphorescent paint to glow under the night cycle black light. The Queens Museum build- ing was built for the 1939 World’s Fair to showcase New York City. Designed by ar- chitect Aymar Embury, II, who also designed the Central Park Zoo and Triborough (now RFK) Bridge, the building once housed the newly formed United Nations General As- sembly after WorldWar II until the current United Nations building was completed inMan- hattan. The Queens Museum, adjacent to the Unisphere, serves as the gateway to Flush- ing Meadows Corona Park.
winning national manufac- turer, is proud to have donated glass materials and coordinated the renovation of the historic Panorama of the City of New York glass walkway at the Queens Museum in Flushing Meadow Park. The Museum’s glass walkway, renamed “Crys- tal Walkway”, was officially opened by the institution’s Board of Trustees and other of- ficials with a ribbon cutting cer - emony on February 25, 2020. The Panorama is an archi- tectural scale model of New
Crystal Chairman Thomas Chen on glass walkway.
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