Thursday, September 9, 2010

A visit to Forest Hills Stadium

Click photo for story.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice to look back, but what is the stadium used for other than rap concerts these days? Who will maintain it if the FH Tennis club goes under going forward if not sold? This stadium has old infrastructure that is deteriorating quickly.

Anonymous said...

Just saying... Nice location for a Wal-Mart.

Anonymous said...

too bad they can't turn it into a park! Heck even if they took the bit closest to the LIRR tracks and turned it into a park that would be neat. All that would need to be done is to add a passageway from Austin Street to the park and it would be well utilized during business hours.

Anonymous said...

Not surprised-- the only surprise is that it still exists since the USTA abandoned the open there 33 years ago.

Anonymous said...

The location is only good for housing.

Velvethead said...

Again with the Park crap! Cord Meyer showed a proposed structure that incorporates the facade of the stadium (the only worthwhile part) with the new construction, which looked nice. With a grand foyer displaying old tennis and concert mementos, nice. If it goes their way, I wish them luck.

Anonymous said...

Condo nonsense will ruin the peaceful neighborhood. And all of us working people who live outside the Gardens will no longer be able to park on the street with all the new residents coming in.

Rego-Forester said...

The nationally & internationally iconic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium merits City & State Landmark status, which would commemorate its history and recognize its prestige. It would open the door towards federal, state, city, and independent non-profit organizational funding opportunities for a sensible restoration, and be a catalyst for a mixed-use creative revitalization, which may feature tennis matches, concerts, weddings, exhibits, school trips, charity events, music and art festivals, etc. It would abide with its original yet proven mission as "America's Tennis Stadium" according to a 1922 ad. Preservation and creative reuse would accomplish the following:

1. Bring our community closer together
2. Boost tourism
3. Convey historic pride & educate our children
4. Help our local businesses through tough economic times & be an incentive for newer businesses opportunities, such as on the Austin St corridor.

Based upon the above points, this would yield a greater economic return in the long-run. Condos are a short-sighted, temporary, least imaginative solution towards settling a debt, but history is forever. Let's realize the larger picture, referring to current & future generations, the tennis and music greats, and an architectural first countrywide by famed architect Kenneth Murchison. Typical condos represent "Anytown USA," but this is a landmark opportunity for something truly unique for ALL. Demolition of an icon for condos = The Penn Station case of Queens!

Typical condos would accomplish the following:

1. Cater to a relatively select few condo owners (75 units = 200 new residents), rather than being a 21st century family destination.
2. The burdening of our infrastructure
3. Overcrowding of schools
4. If the majority is demolished for a typical condo under Cord Meyer's current proposal, it would pave the way for demolition & insensitive alterations of historic sites in the Forest Hills Gardens, which is bounded by Restrictive Covenants, and is supposed to safeguard historic sites; consequently barring such demolition.
5. Adversely affect property values within the Forest Hills Gardens, and the adjacent Van Court section, for example.
6. The soul of an icon would be eliminated, and the bulk of current and future generations would regret that more wasn't conducted by some people, to help preserve and creatively reuse an internationally historic site that Forest Hills is so fortunate to have. It would leave a scar upon our community, and upon the countless supporters abound, in the name of architectural and cultural history.

Rego-Forester said...

The nationally & internationally iconic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium merits City & State Landmark status, which would commemorate its history and recognize its prestige. It would open the door towards federal, state, city, and independent non-profit organizational funding opportunities for a sensible restoration, and be a catalyst for a mixed-use creative revitalization, which may feature tennis matches, concerts, weddings, exhibits, school trips, charity events, music and art festivals, etc. It would abide with its original yet proven mission as "America's Tennis Stadium" according to a 1922 ad. Preservation and creative reuse would accomplish the following:

1. Bring our community closer together
2. Boost tourism
3. Convey historic pride & educate our children
4. Help our local businesses through tough economic times & be an incentive for newer businesses opportunities, such as on the Austin St corridor.

Based upon the above points, this would yield a greater economic return in the long-run. Condos are a short-sighted, temporary, least imaginative solution towards settling a debt, but history is forever. Let's realize the larger picture, referring to current & future generations, the tennis and music greats, and an architectural first countrywide by famed architect Kenneth Murchison. Typical condos represent "Anytown USA," but this is a landmark opportunity for something truly unique for ALL. Demolition of an icon for condos = The Penn Station case of Queens!

Typical condos would accomplish the following:

1. Cater to a relatively select few condo owners (75 units = 200 new residents), rather than being a 21st century family destination.
2. The burdening of our infrastructure
3. Overcrowding of schools
4. If the majority is demolished for a typical condo under Cord Meyer's current proposal, it would pave the way for demolition & insensitive alterations of historic sites in the Forest Hills Gardens, which is bounded by Restrictive Covenants, and is supposed to safeguard historic sites; consequently barring such demolition.
5. Adversely affect property values within the Forest Hills Gardens, and the adjacent Van Court section, for example.
6. The soul of an icon would be eliminated, and the bulk of current and future generations would regret that more wasn't conducted by some people, to help preserve and creatively reuse an internationally historic site that Forest Hills is so fortunate to have. It would leave a scar upon our community, and upon the countless supporters abound, in the name of architectural and cultural history.

Anonymous said...

Rego- nice fantasy. The USTA is not going to have US Open matches there because there is not enough capacity. The neighborhood doesn't want loud concerts there anymore. All your other suggestions wouldn't make enough money to upkeep the place. It is a waste right now and the condo plan is a good one and is respectful of the exterior architecture.
Lots of people love to say what should done with this stadium without any idea of how to pay for it.

Sergey Kadinsky said...

This stadium is not exactly Ebbets Field nor old Yankee Stadium. Architecturally, it is a bland assembly of arches with eagles perched atop.

Michael Perlman should use his energy for a more worthy preservation project, such as the NYS Pavilion, or Tower Diner. Things change, communities grow. Let it go, Michael.

In my view, a tastefully-designed condo with a USTA Hall of Fame on the tennis club property would do more justice than keeping a stadium whose sport has outgrown it long ago.

Rego-Forester said...

Re-read the above posting and see what a negative impact demolition of an architectural and historic first for condos could have upon the community. Also read about many potential creative reuses that cater to everyone, which can co-exist, rather than only catering to the short-sighted WSTC, Cord Meyer and its conceived condo owners, which would be most selfish. Funding means was also included.

According to major tennis and architectural organizations, and neighborhood residents, our group's views seem to be the consensus. We have extensive letters to prove it. The authors of the new Grosvenor Atterbury book, who are architects themselves, have composed a letter which establishes the relationship of Atterbury's WSTC Clubhouse to award-winning Kenneth Murchison's Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. These are highly regarded architects, and many of their remaining buildings nationwide are already landmarked. However, nothing comes close to the relationship of the Clubhouse to the Stadium nationwide.

Early NY Times articles prove how the Stadium is an architectural first and revolutionary, and built with the finest of materials.

How can you recommend preserving sites such as Tower Diner (which is adored) to an internationally-known icon such as the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium? It is important to acknowledge and hopefully appreciate the full picture.

Yankees Stadium, which was demolished, had lost its architectural significance in the 1970s when it was extensively altered. Therefore, other than its cultural significance, it was no architectural gem in recent years.

Anonymous said...

Obviously the only supporters of the condos are employees of the developer Cord Myer and the architect. Hopefully they will lose the vote of the members of the WSTC and the stadium can be used for tennis matches.