Exploring Under the Village

Rickert Fillmore’s tunnels set Unity Village apart

I’ll never forget the first time I went under the East River via the Queens Midtown Tunnel in New York City, on the way into Manhattan from LaGuardia Airport.

The tunnel is more than a mile long and lined with lights. Going through it was such a strange sensation: the knowledge that I was underground with all these other people, the sense of traveling underwater in a car, the suspense of waiting to see what was on the other side. There’s just something about tunnels!

This is probably why the network of tunnels under Unity Village has long been an intriguing feature to visitors—and the source of a few rumors.

Thoughtful Aesthetic, Practical Design

The tunnels under the campus are wide, concrete hallways that connect the Administration, Education, and Silent Unity buildings, as well as the Unity Tower and the banquet hall.

In some places, where the tunnels connect buildings above ground, there is a second level underground for additional mechanical and electrical uses. I’d heard speculation of a third level to the tunnel system, but (disappointingly to me) that rumor has been proven untrue by the Unity Facilities Department.

The tunnels were designed by Rickert Fillmore (son of Unity founders Myrtle Fillmore and Charles Fillmore), who was the creative force behind much of the Unity Village aesthetic.

According to early blueprints from the 1920s, the tunnels were part of the plans for the Village from the very beginning. They allowed Unity employees to navigate between buildings and to transport materials or equipment regardless of the weather. They also cleverly contained the utility lines so as not to disrupt the iconic appearance of the Village with unsightly overhead wires and cables.

A Safe Haven for Employees

In the early 1960s, during the height of the Cold War, the tunnels were designated as official fallout shelters, and civil defense rations were stored there. Thankfully they were never used in such a capacity and the rations were never touched.

Even so, the tunnels have been used as a safe haven throughout the years, most notably as a place where Unity employees and campus visitors gather during tornado warnings.

The tunnels are still home to the Village’s utility lines, storage space, recycling drop-offs, and other practical needs. They also offer a useful shortcut for employees and guests during unpleasant or inclement weather.

Most of the tunnel system is off-limits to the public, but some of the above-ground tunnel spaces are open to all, now offering more comforting touches, including small seating areas with couches and tables, where people can gather for conversation or a bite to eat.

You can see this area if you walk through the double doors at the rear of the bookstore and coffee shop. ...

Even if it doesn’t rain during your next visit, the tunnels are certainly worth a glimpse to see what’s going on under the surface.

This article appeared in Unity Magazine®.