Restoring the Ruggles Fountain

Read the complete illustrated history of the Ruggles Fountain →

The Trustees’ restoration

The Ruggles Fountain stands on the western side of Gramercy Park. Its recent restoration included replacement stonework and repairs to return it to working order.

Working with preservation architect Thomas Fenniman, the Trustees undertook a comprehensive restoration of the 1916 Ruggles Fountain.

Repairing how it works, as well as how it looks

Craftsmen sourced matching Tennessee pink marble from the original Knoxville-area quarries to Dutchman-patch weathered stone, rebuilt the internal plumbing and waterproofing, and conserved the central bronze luminaire.

The timetable depended on the cutting and delivery of the stone.

A fountain working again

Completed in May 2026 alongside the rehabilitation of the Park's perimeter gates, the restoration returned running water to Charles I. Berg's west-walk basin in time for the Park's 195th anniversary.

The Trustees and the Park team also repaired benches, tended planting and maintained the gardener’s cottage. Outside the fence, the Block Association repaired tree-garden fences and litter receptacles and maintained the public streetscape.

The name behind the landmark

Samuel B. Ruggles established Gramercy Park in 1831. Nearly two centuries later, the fountain bearing his name is working again following the Trustees’ restoration.

Explore the founding vision or read about earlier restoration of the Park’s historic fabric.