Artist’s Courtyard Creation at NJ Offices Doomed

The state of New Jersey is going to tear up a large, deteriorating work of landscape architecture at its environmental protection headquarters in Trenton.

State officials say they are going to replace the courtyard creation known as "Green Acres" with a plaza that is both greener and easier to maintain.

"Green Acres" is a series of swirling, terraced tan-brick steps with crescent-shaped planters. They surround a core of flagstone and slabs of green granite with sandblasted images of endangered animals, landscapes and plants.

The project was created in 1985 as part of a state arts competition at a cost of $400,000, and was restored just seven years ago for $30,000. But now the state says that for a variety of reasons, including cost, it is going to be replaced.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)