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Remaining piece of Polo Grounds to be refurbished

A staircase constructed in the memory of former New York Giants owner John T. Brush is the only piece of the Polo Grounds still standing; it will be refurbished and reconstructed this year as a tribute to one of baseball’s most historic venues.

There’s little left of the old Polo Grounds, the former home of the New York Giants and the New York Mets, past a commorative plaque and a playground named after the legendary Willie Mays.

But more will be apparent this summer, as a staircase donated to the city of New York by the family of former New York Giants owner John T. Brush is being renovated. Brush was owner of the Giants when the final Polo Grounds was built, and his family donated the John T. Brush Staircase as a way for local residents to more easily access the ballpark, which was built on the side of Coogan’s Bluff. It still bears the original inscription: "The John T. Brush Stairway Presented by the New York Giants."

When the ballpark was torn down and its various pieces scattered (the light poles ended up at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, for instance), the staircase was left standing. It’s been covered with brush and unsafe for years now, but it is the last remaining piece of the Polo Grounds still standing. So the city of New York is spending $800,000 on a renovation of the area (with $500,000 donated by the area sports teams), complete with new landscaping.