▁on ▁a ▁design ▁by ▁Cal vert ▁V aux ▁and ▁Jacob ▁W rey ▁M ould . ▁The ▁sheep ▁were ▁ev icted ▁from ▁the ▁sheep fold ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁under ▁NY C ▁Park s ▁commission er ▁Robert ▁Mos es . ▁▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁the ▁restaurant ▁was ▁managed ▁by ▁restaur ateurs ▁lic ensed ▁by ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁New ▁York ' s ▁Park ▁Department . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Arnold ▁Sch le ifer ▁and ▁his ▁nep he ws , ▁Arthur ▁Sch le ifer ▁and ▁Julius ▁B erman , ▁won ▁the ▁contract ▁to ▁operate ▁the ▁restaurant . ▁The ▁own ers ▁en larg ed ▁the ▁dance ▁floor ▁and ▁offered ▁night ly ▁music . ▁A ▁large ▁out door ▁pat io ▁offered ▁d ining ▁al ▁fres co . ▁Tre es ▁were ▁first ▁wrapped ▁in ▁the ▁well - known ▁tw ink ling ▁lights ▁around ▁the ▁property ▁and ▁the ▁El m ▁Tree ▁Room ▁was ▁built ▁to ▁surr ound ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁city ' s ▁classic ▁American ▁el ms . ▁The ▁menu ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁be ▁elegant ▁but ▁afford able ▁for ▁New ▁York ers . ▁L un che on ▁and ▁dinner ▁offer ings ▁changed ▁regularly ▁and ▁Mr . ▁B erman ▁would ▁often ▁add ▁special ▁dess ert s ▁to ▁celebr ate ▁family ▁events , ▁such ▁as ▁" Par f ait ▁Ruth " ▁to ▁honor ▁the ▁birth ▁of ▁his ▁grand d augh ter . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁more ▁controvers ial ▁projects ▁proposed