"Forest Hill Park". In early 1931, the city moved to accept Rockefeller's offer. Construction Construction of the park began in August 1931, before the city had accepted the deed to the land on December 28, 1931. The work provided many jobs during the Great Depression. The work included numerous smaller projects such as destruction of the old Billings estate; grading of the terrain; constructing structures such as arches and balconies; planting trees, shrubs, and lawns; and cutting into the ridge of the west side of the park to create an extension of Riverside Drive. Some of Manhattan schist were used in the project, while an average of 350 workers were employed during each day of work. Construction progressed quickly and by February 1932, it was reported that Fort Tryon Park was 42% complete. Rockefeller bought an additional two plots from the Met totaling about in June 1932. The following year, he offered to landscape the additional plots at his own expense, and the city accepted that land. The project included the construction of the New York City Subway's IND Eighth Avenue Line, served by the modern-day , which contains two stations serving the park (see ). The line, which crosses directly under the park between the two stations, opened in late 1932. By March 1934, it was reported that the park was nearly complete, but that an additional $500,000 was needed for improvements. The Public Works Administration subsequently gave mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia and New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses $800,000 in funds to complete the park. The playground at the northeast corner of the park, at Broadway and Dyckman Street, was opened on September 6, 1934. The park was dedicated on October 12, 1935 by Rockefeller & Moses. In total, Rockefeller had spent $3.6 million toward the park's construction. Upon Fort Tryon Park's opening, Upper Manhattan had nearly of parkland split among several non-contiguous sites, including Fort Tryon, Fort Washington, Inwood Hill, and Highbridge Parks. In April 1935, construction started on the Cloisters, the Met's medieval art museum within the park. The museum, designed by Charles Collens, incorporated several medieval buildings that were purchased in Europe, brought to the United States, and reassembled, often stone by stone. The first portions of the Cloisters were opened to the public in May 1938, and the museum was completed the following year. Mid-20th century and decline In the years following