Poor concrete work in the original setting for The Girl Puzzle in Lighthouse Park on Roosevelt Island caused concerns. People worried about its future. But those may be whisked away soon as RIOC moves on to a resolution.
by David Stone
The Roosevelt Island Daily News
A committee was appointed by then RIOC President/CEO Susan Rosenthal in 2019. They picked Amanda Matthews’s idea for a monument in Lighthouse Park. Her design focuses on iconic journalist Nellie Bly, reflecting the many faces with which women approach the world.
The Girl Puzzle Opens
At a well attended ceremony in December 2021, it went live.
But the future has not always been kind to the internationally acclaimed work of art. It was known early on that the poured concrete foundation had not set properly. RIOC as well as the artist feared it would crumble or even become a hazard for visitors.
As time passed and RIOC fumbled over solutions without success, a yawning gap of neglect stretched out.
By November 2023, with all work stopped, The Girl Puzzle looked abandoned less than two years after opening.
The Summer of 2024 Brightens
Yesterday, I took a hike up the West Promenade to Lighthouse Park, curious about what’s become of The Girl Puzzle. Earlier this year, Matthews told me that she was optimistic. With new RIOC leadership in place, collaboration on finding a solution had begun.
What I found were positive results.
I checked in with Acting Chief Operating Officer, Mary Cunneen.
“Everything up there is stable, and I agree, it still looks beautiful,” Cunneen said, but she added some details.
“I spoke with Amanda Matthews last week regarding the monument’s condition and next steps. We will be removing the top layer of epoxy coating that shows cracking and then power wash the area to understand the full scope of repair, probably around mid to late September. Once these initial steps are completed, we will assess the situation further.”
Progress in stabilizing one of Roosevelt Island best assets is good news. With some luck we’ll see more visitors and residents heading north. Not only will they find an improving Girl Puzzle, but also an open meadows, spaces set aside for picnicking and grilling, an infant grove of young trees and the iconic lighthouse where the park spikes into Hell Gate.
The Women Who Held the Ground
The recording arrived before RIOC posted it. On this island, that usually means they’ll release it when they’re confident nobody still cares. ArchRI simply made a copy available, the way people here tend to do once they’ve stopped waiting for institutions to keep their word. It was the first meeting of what is now meant to be a monthly community advisory group (CAG).
