Forest Hills Tennis Stadium Recognized in National Trust For Historic Preservation's Preservation Magazine

This is a Nov 1922 ad which appeared in MIT's Technology Review. Designed by public building architectural specialist Kenneth Murchison in 1923, it became the country's first permanent concrete tennis stadium. There's no denying its strong foundation in more ways than 1!

Centerfield! August 2010 photo by Patrick Lannan

The famed yet endangered Forest Hills Tennis Stadium is recognized in the National Trust For Historic Preservation's Preservation Magazine (May-June 2011 issue) as threatened. It is the hope of Rego-Forest Preservation Council that such exposure along with city, state, federal landmark status, and potentially an amended version of Transferable Development Rights (TDR), will yield funds for restoration and creative multi-reuse. Hopefully, exposure in this noteworthy publication will spark the interest of historically-sensitive visionaries, who will partner with the Stadium's owner, the West Side Tennis Club. Below is the excerpt from the magazine's Transitions section:

The greatest tennis players of the 20th century—Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean King, Rod Laver, Margaret Court, and Jimmy Connors among them—served, volleyed, and stroked backhands at this 14,000-seat stadium in the Forest Hills section of Queens, N.Y. After the U.S. Open moved to Flushing Meadows in 1977, the West Side Tennis Stadium hosted various professional tournaments but was eventually abandoned. The club that owns the badly deteriorated stadium discussed demolition with a developer interested in building condos. But in October, the club voted to retain the stadium and solicit ideas for reuse. About $12 million is needed just to repair the crumbling 1923 landmark.

Source: http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2011/may-june/transitions.html

1968 US Open Tennis Championships press kit featuring Arthur Ashe

Golden glory awaits TLC! Photo by Michael Perlman, Sept 2010

Frank Sinatra at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, July 15, 1977

1937 news photo

Judy Garland at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium on July 17, 1965 at the annual Forest Hills Music Festivals, Courtesy of Robert Rauschenbach

New Preservation Grant for Queens: The Elizabeth & Robert Jeffe Preservation Fund for NYC

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is pleased to announce creation of a new grant fund targeting historic preservation and community revitalization in New York City, made possible by the generous support of Elizabeth and Robert Jeffe.

The Elizabeth and Robert Jeffe Preservation Fund for New York City will provide seed monies to nonprofit organizations and government agencies for critical work in stewarding and safeguarding the rich heritage and vitality of the nation's largest city. These grants are intended to build capacity, leverage additional support, and provide momentum to get community preservation and revitalization projects off the ground, by providing capital in early stages and at important junctures.

More information, including application and guidelines, is available at: www.preservationnation.org/about-us/regional-offices/northeast/jeffe_preservation_fund_nyc.html

·         Government agencies and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. Individuals and private, for-profit entities are ineligible.

·         Grants are awarded for planning and education activities focused on preservation and revitalization within New York City limits.  Examples of eligible activities include: retaining professional consulting services in areas such as architecture, archaeology, engineering, preservation or land-use planning, economics, fundraising, organizational development, media relations, and education; sponsoring workshops or community forums; designing, producing, and marketing printed materials or other media communications to advance historic preservation; surveys and inventories of historic resources.

·         Grants will not be awarded for bricks-and-mortar construction activities, property acquisition, salaries, operating expenses, staff time, or academic research. 

·         Grants must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Typical award amounts will generally range from $2,500 to $10,000 (in exceptional cases, up to $15,000).

·         The application deadline for the inaugural grant round is June 1, 2010. Thereafter, round deadlines are October 1, February 1, and June 1 yearly.

Applicants are required to contact the National Trust’s Northeast Office for guidance and assistance before submitting an application.

Northeast Office

National Trust for Historic Preservation

Brent Leggs, Field Representative

7 Faneuil Hall Marketplace, 4^th Floor

Boston, MA 02109

617-523-0885 ▪ brent_leggs@nthp.org 

The National Trust for Historic Preservation helps people protect, enhance, and enjoy the places that matter to them.  Learn more at www.PreservationNation.org