The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 266

THE RECORD, SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 1986 30 lvR I A The census shows the latest groups A decision Is of Immigrants are settling In Call- made to restore fornla, the New York-New Jersey the statue and El-metropolltan area, Texas, Florida, lis Island, and a and along the Great Lakes. About joint Franco-half a million have been arriving American team steadily since 1976. begins to map plans. A fund-A French artisan, Jacques Mon- raising commls-tard, repairing a French sculpture slon Is formed made the same way as Liberty, dls- under Lee J. la-covers extensive corrosion, and cocca.

American officials are alerted. Vietnamese "boat people" (lee to freedom, and most ol the 80,000 settle In California. By 1983 another 200,000 will follow. By the early 1980'a, sizable numbers will flee other Third World countries of Laos and Cambodia. Hundreds 'of thousands will also come from Korea, India, and the Philippines.

It's America's bicentennial and the celebration Is spectacular. -1980- 1982- 1978- VVI'ICYAIK'IT) 373 A monument to all who passed through By Mark Stuart Staff Writer ti Ji estoration of Ellis Island is a means of oral history of those who worked on or passed through Ellis Island will be recorded. Old photographs are being used to enable architects to re-create the spacious promenades and formal gardens and lawns on the island. An immense wrought-iron canopy, under which immigrants entered the main building, was removed in 1931. A new one is being designed in stain honoring the courage and contributions of less steel and glass, to resemble the the millions who came to the United States as immigrants from every part of the world.

It is being funded, appropriately, by donations not only from corporations and organizations but from private individuals, many of whom can trace their ancestry to a member who came into the Golden Land, as America was called, through Ellis Island. Cost of restoring the historic portion of the island, the northern section, is estimated at $113 million. It will open to the public in July 1988. The main building and its legendary Great Hall, or for those denied entry, the Hall of Tears, are first in line for restoration, to be followed by work on the enormous baggage and dormitory building, as well as the kitchen and laundry buildings. The restoration is to be as faithful to the original as modern construction methods allow.

Exhibits of artifacts brought and made by immigrants will be placed in each wing of the building, said Michael Adler-stein, the National Parks Service project director for Ellis Island. The project also calls for two movie theaters to tell the story of immigration to America and a studio where the original as closely as possible. The ceiling vault in the Great Hall was installed in 1917. The so-called Black Tom explosion in July 1916 on a Jersey City wharf badly damaged the original. The Black Tom explosion was called the only successful German war effort in the United States.

Ammunition-laden railroad cars blew up with such violence that residents of Connecticut and Maryland felt the shock. The damage was estimated at $20 million, of which the greater part was in Jersey City. Seven lives were lost and 75-mm shells struck Ellis Island and other nearby places. The 1917 ceiling vault was built by Guastovino Brothers, masons who were Italian immigrants. The ceiling did not need extensive restoration because of good drainage above it.

The red-tile roof had to be completely rebuilt. Three brass-and-glass chandeliers will be rehung as soon as roof work is finished. A new staircase will be GRAND DESIGNS: Architect's drawing for the renovation of Ellis Island's main building. Plans for the southern part of Ellis Island are incomplete and have been the subject of a dispute between the Interior Department and Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca, who was forced to resign as head of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Centennial Commission over a question of conflict of interest. A temporary bridge linking Ellis Island with Liberty State Park in Jersey City was opened this month.

It will be for the use of restoration workers and construction vehicles only. It will save about $12 million of the total allocated for reconstruction because boats will not have to go around the island. installed to resemble the historic "six-second medical" stairway in the Great Hall. The six-second stairway got its name because three doctors stood at the top and for approximately six seconds inspected immigrants for limps or other obvious defects. The original had been removed in 1924.

NEW STAINLESS STEEL WATER FRONT PROMENADE WITH BENCHES AND LAMPPOSTS AND GLASS CANOPY MAIN REGISTRY BUILDING TO BE RESTORED TO 1918 1924 APPEARANCE ORAL HISTORY CENTER, ARCHIVAL LIBRARY, AND READING ROOM BAGGAGE DORMITORY BUILDING TO BE RESTORED TO ORIGINAL CONDITION IMMIGRATION I A I HISTORY I How to renovate the southern 1 7 acres of the island has been a much-debated subject for months. One architect is calling for ethnic food stands and festivals, a museum, and exhibitions about the immigrants' experiences. Another wants to transform a former hospital into a conference center with 300 guest rooms and office space. The architect designing the renovation of the Great Hall on the north section of the island supports the latter plan. Chrysler President Lee A.

Iacocca sharply criticized the conference center plan. Iacocca presides over a private fund-raising foundation to raise money for Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. He also was chairman of the federal Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Commission to study development plans, but was dismissed by the Interior secretary last February. The advisory commission, now led by Armen G. Avedesian, is considering a variety of proposals and expects to choose a plan by the end of the year.

KITCHEN LAUNDRY BUILDING TO BE RESTORED TO ORIGINAL CONDITION t' lL---iLXJlA S'jT THREE AUDITORIUMS WILL I- yri j)Hi i )Lx INCLUDETW0THEATERS irpn55ZPLu i 1 RESTAURANTS. REST- "ft II ROOMS, GIFT SHOPS, Lj- ts "s- AND VISITOR SERVICES 1 The Great Hall is scheduled to be restored in time for the Statue of Liberty's July 4th festivities. Other Ellis Island work is scheduled for completion by the immigration station's own centennial in 1992. AMERICAN MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION RENOVATED TO ACCOMMODATE TWO MILLION VISITORS ANNUALLY ENTRANCE WITH NEW DOORS DEPICTING THE RESTORATION NEW PAVED PLAZA WITH FLAGPOLE HOUSING FOR PARK RANGERS REFURBISHED ADMINISTRATION BUILDING NEW TRASH STORAGE AND INCINERATOR BUILDING dffdtjffi MAINTENANCE BUILDING WITH FUEL BUILDING ADDITION FIT fflBKHE VISITOR'S AREA WITH NEW WOOD DECK -i ENLARGED CONCESSION AREA VIEWING PLATFORMS NEW LOBBY WITH OLD TORCH AS CENTERPIECE RECORD GRAPHIC BY LISA MANSOLILLO-DALIE.