East River Park Amphitheater - Lower East Side NYC (2000)
"Originally marshland that was used by the Lenape tribe to land their canoes, the area’s gradual coastal incline proved advantageous to Dutch settlers of the mid-1600s in the loading and unloading of various types of cargo. The waterfront remained integral to the shipping industry for over 200 years. In the mid-19th century, as sea trade moved to the deeper channels of the Hudson River, docks gave way to factories, and then, in the late 19th century, to tenements. The pier was used as a newsprint terminal in 1963 but then became integral to the banana industry, with an estimated 935 million bananas arriving every year. It received its last shipment in November 1987 and remained unused for almost 20 years."
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/east-river-park/history
"In 1941, an amphitheater was built in the park, along with an adjacent limestone recreational building, as part of an urban renewal project for the Lower East Side. Joseph Papp (1921-1991), founder of Shakespeare in the Park and the Public Theater, staged Julius Caesar there in 1956. During the 1950’s, the amphitheater was the site of frequent free Evening-in-the-Park concerts. Local schools held their graduation ceremonies there, and the Group of Ancient Drama performed the Greek classics (gratis). In 1973, however, the amphitheater closed due to budget cuts. Vandals attacked the neglected theater and by 1980 it was unusable."
The amphitheater was restored by the city after September 11, 2001, as part of the efforts to revitalize Lower Manhattan.
https://www.nyc-arts.org/organizations/east-river-park-bandshell/
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