Jerome Park Reservoir

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, and Walton High School.

Jerome Park Reservoir
LocationGoulden, Reservoir and Sedgwick Aves., Bronx, New York
Coordinates40°52′40″N 73°53′44″W
Built1906
Architectural styleArt Deco
NRHP reference No.00001014
Added to NRHPSeptember 7, 2000[1]

History
1896 NY Times map of proposed reservoir

The reservoir was built in 1906 to serve the New Croton aqueduct[2] 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 (owned by Winston Churchill's maternal grandfather Leonard Walter Jerome 1817–1891, for whom the racetrack was originally named) 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.[3][4]

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.[1] The related High Pumping Station had been listed in 1983.[1]

The treatment plant was built in another part of the North Bronx underneath Van Cortlandt Park.[5][6] 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.[7] In November 2015, the DEP experimentally opened the perimeter to the public for tours.[8]

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. Jerome Park Reservoir Scientific American June 1, 1901 via Google Books
  3. Bathgate Estate
  4. Kathleen Howe (June 2000). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Jerome Park Reservoir". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2011-01-12. See also: "Accompanying 30 photos".
  5. Dunlap, David W. (May 8, 2015). "As a Plant Nears Completion, Croton Water Flows Again to New York City". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  6. Nessen, Stephen (June 17, 2015), Nearly 30 Years and $3.5 Billion Later, NYC Gets Its First Filtration Plant, WNYC, retrieved January 9, 2017
  7. Bronx Photo Gallery 2014 Kermit Project
  8. "Guided Tours and Limited Access Recreation at Jerome Park Reservoir Postponed". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
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