Grand Army Plaza Arch Slated For $8.9 Million Restoration

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, NY — An $8.9 million restoration is underway on the 134-year-old arch at Grand Army Plaza.

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch that welcomes Brooklynites into Prospect Park will have its roof replaced, interior repaired, brick and stone cleaned and improved exterior lighting.

The arch's restoration is expected to take 12 months, reopening to the public in spring 2024. In the meantime, public access to the arch will be limited and pedestrian traffic rerouted.

"The beloved Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch at Grand Army Plaza is a Brooklyn icon and an important gathering space for dialogue and protests that advance social justice," said Morgan Monaco, president of Prospect Park Alliance.

The arch — a civil war monument to commemorate Union soldiers — went up at Prospect Park in 1889 and has not been restored since the 1990s.

"Prospect Park Alliance is excited to restore this landmark in all its glory so it can serve as a welcoming beacon and essential civic space for our community for generations to come," Monaco said.

The arch's repairs are part of a larger project started in 2022 to revamp Grand Army Plaza with improved plants, landscaping, fencing and accessibility.

"The restored arch will serve as the perfect complement to the broader restoration of Grand Army Plaza,” said Sue Donoghue, NYC Parks Commissioner.