David Koch has pledged $10 million to improve the fountains in front of the Met in New York, Eric Orden says:
“If you go down Fifth Avenue, that plaza is so dreary,” he said. “I want to improve the lighting, so that when you pass by at night and look over there, you’ll see a beautiful fountain, dancing away.”
According to Mr. Koch, a committee has met every Friday for the past several weeks to interview architectural firms competing for the commission. He declined to name the firms. Mr. Holzer declined to comment about whether a committee had been formed, as well as on the overall cost of the project, saying it is “much too soon” to provide a comprehensive figure.
Mr. Koch’s is the first major gift dedicated to these renovations, according to Mr. Holzer.
The Met’s fountains were installed in the early 1970s as a result of a gift from Lila Acheson Wallace, a co-founder of Reader’s Digest. They are designated landmarks, meaning any changes must be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Koch Pours Millions into Met (Wall Street Journal)