Save Ellis Island started up in 1999, partnering with the Parks Service to fix up the site's historic architecture. In 2007 preservationists completed work on the Art Deco style Ferry Building and they've more than half finished the Laundry/Hopital Outbuilding, where immigrants' sheets were washed. To renovate the island's other 27 buildings will cost an additional $350 million. more ›

This morning in Central Park the Oak Bridge (also known as the Bank Rock Bridge) was unveiled... for the second time. The bridge was originally constructed in 1860 and provided a decadent connection in Central Park from the path along the West Drive into the Ramble. The architecture firm that restored it notes that it was "constructed of carved white oak with panels of decorative cast iron set in the railings and a deck of yellow pine." more ›

This morning the Empire State Building took some time to show off its newly renovated Art Deco Lobby and restored historic ceiling mural, with architect Frank Prial (who did the Grand Central restoration) on hand. This is all part of a $550 million historical renovation, the lobby taking about $12.5 million of that. The NY Times reports that the pricey touch up brought back to life "two shiny Art Deco murals that disappeared from view in the 1960s." more ›

Designated a landmark in 1979, the 2,800-seat Beacon Theatre has undergone a $16 million restoration, and earlier today the final look of their 7-month-long project was unveiled. Thanks to the work of thousands, the venue "is back to its original 1929 grandeur, fulfilling the commitment the company made to New York when it acquired the theatre in November, 2006." A full list of restorations can be found after the jump, and the NY Times has a cute story about an old gold-painted coffee tin discovered during the facelift and found to be the fixture supporting "the principal ornament at the tip of the 900-pound chandelier in the rotunda" (pictured here). more ›

The Guggenheim is opening its doors for free on October 30th to celebrate the completion of the museum's restoration, which has been going on for years. The centerpiece of the celebration will be illuminated text on the Frank Lloyd Wright facade, a specially commissioned work of art by Jenny Holzer (which has actually been on display since September). Oh, and, the Museum Café will offer a free cookie with the purchase of any entrée on the day of the celebration. more ›

Late New York composer and Broadway writer Richard Rodgers became world-renowned, but as The NY Post notes, "never forgot his Harlem roots." Yesterday his family donated $1 million to restore the neglected bandshell at Marcus Garvey Park, and as Bloomberg reminded everyone at a press conference--Rodgers also donated the original funds (to the tune of $150,000) to build the facility in 1970. The city has also put forth $4 million towards the renovation, which will begin in the Fall of 2009. When complete the new bandshell will feature improved acoustics, new seats, wheelchair accessible sections and a new name: The Richard Rodgers Bandshell. more ›

It's Fleet Week in NYC, but the city's hometown aircraft carrier Intrepid is having trouble finding its way home. The Intrepid is still in the harbor--docked at a shipyard in Staten Island as it undergoes renovations--but it's uncertain if the fabled craft will be able to make it back to its berth on Manhattan's West Side. more ›

Last fall it was announced that consultants were being sought out for the restoration and reconstruction of the historic 1919 B&B Carousell of Coney Island, which was bought at auction by The City of New York in 2005. The Brooklyn Eagle reports that yesterday the carousel was finally in the hands of experts as "fine art movers arrived at the Brooklyn Army Terminal (BAT) to delicately pack up Coney Island’s 89-year-old Bishoff & Brienstein Carousell. The entire team of colorful antique horses and other carousel components will be temporarily transferred to Marion, Ohio, where it will be meticulously restored by a nationally recognized expert in the field." more ›

By 2011, our New York Public Library will have a new face. The building, which looms over Bryant Park and 5th Avenue, has been subject to urban pollution and a whole lot more in the past 96 years. From the press release:

The Library announced that it is undertaking a three-year restoration of the facade of the historic building now formally known as the Humanities and Social Sciences Library. The project will include a complete cleaning of the building's Vermont marble, repair of almost 3,000 cracks, protection and preservation of the many sculptural elements, and repair of the building's roof, stairs, and plazas.