West Side Tennis Club Raises The Flag To 100 Years

100 Years In Forest Hills, WSTC Flag Raising Ceremony, Photo by Suzan Causey

WSTC Members at 100th Anniversary Flag Raising Ceremony, Photo by Michael Perlman

"West Side Tennis Club celebrates 100th Anniversary" by Michael Perlman of the Forest Hills Times/Queens Ledger: http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/22343330/article-West-Side-Tennis-Club-celebrates-100th-Anniversary

Generations young and old at the West Side Tennis Club (WSTC) will remember April 21, 2013, as the day they witnessed Forest Hills history in the making.

To welcome a summer filled with events celebrating a century of operation at 1 Tennis Place in Forest Hills Gardens, the club held a Flag Raising Ceremony. With a backdrop of crisp blue skies and trees in bloom, a tennis ball-themed flag reading “100 Years in Forest Hills” was raised, and now waves with pride alongside the American flag.

The West Side Tennis Club, comprised of a diverse membership, a stately Tudor clubhouse from 1913, and the iconic Classically-styled Forest Hills Tennis Stadium from 1923, commemorated its tennis, music, social and cinematic legacy by reminiscing and visualizing a promising future.

Club members assembled over a cocktail reception at the wood-paneled clubhouse overlooking the stadium, and were then guided by a bagpiper through a foyer to an outdoor ceremony. The historic walk featured a timeline of photos capturing the glory of Bill Tilden, Bobby Riggs, and Kenneth Rosewall, as well as Althea Gibson, Billie Jean King, and Chris Evert.

WSTC bagpiper escorts members through the Clubhouse, Photo by Nicole Zivkovic

Some notable guests were President Helen Griffin of the Women’s Club of Forest Hills, President Robert Schnell of the Men’s Club of Forest Hills, Community House Chair Lily Zivkovic, and Dan Olson, treasurer of the Church-in-the-Gardens. Sinead Whelan, WSTC Chair of Membership and Marketing delivered opening remarks, setting the stage for WSTC President Roland Meier, who referred to his audience as one big family of the West Side, and attributed part of the club’s road to success as the need to work with the greater community.


 

President Roland Meier, Photo by Michael Perlman

“When I researched 100 years, I did not find a bond between the West Side Tennis Club and Forest Hills,” Meier said. “We were the center of the tennis universe, and now we are trying to reinvent ourselves and become a children and family-friendly club which will revive the stadium and finally become part of the neighborhood.”

In addition to tennis, he envisions ice skating and concerts that respect the club’s ambiance.

Since the U.S. Open moved from the stadium in 1977 to larger accommodations at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and the Forest Hills Music Festival began phasing out after its peak from the 1950s to the 1970s, the club lost some of its prestige and the stadium began decaying under minimal use.

Griffin Fluhr & Alice Beatrice Adams raising the 100th Anniversary Flag, Photo by Michael Perlman

Sinead Whelan with Alice Beatrice Adams & Griffin Fluhr, Photo by Nicole Zivkovic

Following Meier’s remarks, two of the club’s younger members raised the commemorative flag. One was 11-year-old Alice Beatrice Adams of Greenwich, CT, who has played tennis at the club for as far back as she can recall.

“I felt pretty honored,” said Adams, who serves on the club’s junior committee and organizes parties for fellow junior members.

“I was proud,” said 11-year-old Griffin Fluhr of Forest Hills, who served as a ballboy for Children’s Day in Forest Hills Gardens, and is also part of the junior tennis program.

WSTC audience members take part in the festivities, Photo by Nicole Zivkovic

Over lunch, some club members shared their visions for the future. Fourteen-year member Richard Del Nunzio of Forest Hills is chair of the Facilities Committee.

“Development of the juniors is one way of expanding the membership of the club I love,” he said. “We’re spending $45,000 on a world-class playground and we’ve improved our children’s lounge, and now our summer camp has over 150 children and is growing annually. They’re our club’s future.”

He took pride in the role the WSTC has played in his own family.

“I have a son who was part of the juniors, and now earned a full scholarship playing tennis in college,” Del Nunzio said.

He then explained why revitalizing the stadium is most valuable.

“As a result of [music] pirating on the internet, performers are looking for open stadiums, and they have come to realize that live performances are the best source of income,” Del Nunzio said. “By default, we are at the right place at the right time, and are being approached by promoters who want to invest in the stadium’s restoration for concerts.”

The stadium may become the New York Philharmonic’s summer home.

Forest Hills resident Juan Reyes, a 42-year member relayed his heartfelt sentiment. He explained,

“My children were friendly with a group of kids from France, when we invited them to Forest Hills, they were excited to be part of the tennis tradition,” said 42-year member Juan Reyes. “We want to make the younger Americans aware, since they don’t have that same appreciation.”

Viewing a restored stadium as a source of long-term revenue from events, Reyes opposed Cord Meyer Development’s 2010 proposal to build condos in its place.

“Demolition of the stadium would have destroyed the club and the community,” Reyes said. “Some people have no respect for tradition.”

The club also serves as a second home to many of its elder members.

“At age 92, I still play tennis,” said Helen Allen of Forest Hills. “One thing I admire about President Roland Meier is how he’s opening membership to everyone. We are holding occasions to invite people to see the club and play tennis for the afternoon, and that helps create a diverse membership.”

The West Side Tennis Club informed club members about a series of 100th anniversary events planned for the spring and summer. The public events schedule features a Meet The Pro Staff and Fundraiser Round Robin on May 11; Level 1 Junior Sectional Tournaments from June 24–28; a Century Celebration and Tennis Carnival on June 30; the New York Open Tournament from July 4–7; the USTA Women’s National Championships from July 14–20; a 100-Year Celebration Extravaganza on August 18; and USTA Men’s National 40, 55, 60 Grass Court Championships from September 16–29.

WSTC Clubhouse exhibits Tudor charm, Photo by Joe Dutton

Linna Hunt, a 41-year member, can’t imagine the West Side Tennis Club minus its stadium, and last weekend’s ceremony reinforced its value.

“I’m pleased so many club members and the business community are looking forward to our historic stadium coming to life again,” she said. “I always love sitting on the clubhouse’s terrace, looking out into the sunset at our horseshoe stadium.”

Eagles & terra-cotta shields adorn the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium facade, Photo by Michael Perlman

Center court with the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Photo by Pat Lannan

Kenneth Murchison, The Mastermind Behind The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium

Rego-Forest Preservation Council, a longtime advocate of the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium and supporter of the late great architect, Kenneth Murchison, takes pride in sharing....

Kenneth Murchison, A Prominent Architect Who Left His Mark In Forest Hills

by Michael Perlman, Columnist of the Forest Hills Times/Queens Ledger

http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/22026912/article-Kenneth-Murchison--a-prominent-architect-who-left-his-mark-in-Forest-Hills

Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison, a foremost public building architect & artist

An aerial photo of Forest Hills Tennis Stadium from 1929

Last week, this column noted that the West Side Tennis Club will host the first annual NY Open from July 4-7 as part of a series of summer events to commemorate the club’s 100-year Forest Hills operation.

President Roland Meier hoped the anniversary events would lead to a gradual restoration and revitalization of the iconic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, which once hosted the U.S. Open, Davis Cup, Wightman Cup, and singles championships, in addition to the annual Forest Hills Music Festival.

“I believe we can hold quality tennis events, ice hockey in the winter, and a few classical and modern music concerts on a small scale which our club can associate with,” he stated.

In response to the stadium’s influential history and 90th anniversary this August, one may find it difficult to grasp its lack of use for nearly 15 years. Despite minimal maintenance and recent extreme weather, its condition is not as poor as some people claimed when condos were proposed for the site in 2010 and then rejected.

Recent engineering assessments by the club address likely needs such as sealing cracks and upgrading sewer lines, and the president speculated a cost of less than $2.5 million in repairs.

Now is the time to rediscover and honor the prominent architect behind America’s first concrete tennis stadium. His name is Kenneth MacKenzie Murchison (1872-1938), and the Forest Hills tennis stadium is a testament to his cultured life and legends that were born.

In November 1917, the NY Times referenced Murchison as part of the West Side Tennis Club’s nominating committee, which presumes why he was commissioned to design the stadium. Within 10 years of the West Side Tennis Club’s success in Forest Hills, the temporary grandstands surrounding the perimeter were inadequate.

The club and the United States Lawn Tennis Association partnered to finance the 14,000-seat stadium, which cost $150,000. Construction began in April 1923 and was completed that August in time for the Davis Cup, where an American victory took center court.

To help finance the expense, the NY Times reported on May 22, 1923, that 900 out of 1,500 choicest seats have already been taken under a 10-year subscription plan for $100, where the subscriber would have their name affixed to a metal plate, guaranteeing their seat for major events.

The Massachussetts Institute of Technology published “The Technology Review” (November 1922) which read, “America’s Tennis Stadium, now under construction at Forest Hills, Long Island is to be ready for the Women’s Nationals on August 13th and for the Davis Cup Challenge Round on August 31st. The West Side Tennis Club sought a general contractor whose record and facilities guarantee trustworthy workmanship and speed of construction without sacrifice of the economy. The Foundation Company was chosen to do the job.”

The firm specialized in superstructures and substructures, and built in Paris, Rio De Janeiro, London, Montreal, and Chicago. An authentic stadium plaque bears names of the architect, builders, engineer, Stadium Committee, and Board of Governors.

The horseshoe-shaped stadium’s concrete façade features a distinctive colonnade of archways, which appear golden at sunset, and allow spectators to walk underneath. The upper portion of the façade is embellished with cornice detail conveying understated charm, glazed terra-cotta shields which bear the West Side Tennis Club logo, and Moderne eagles which brace vertical flagpoles. Authentic concrete and wood grandstands face the tennis courts and the Tudor clubhouse designed by Grosvenor Atterbury in 1913.

Today, Kenneth Murchison’s descendants live in Rhode Island, New York, California, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and London. Lynne De Wardener-Burris, Kenneth Murchison’s great-granddaughter who lives on Long Island, expressed interest in volunteering to preserve the stadium, as well as other descendants.

Murchison’s grandson is Hays Browning of Washington, D.C., who visited the stadium at age 11. Based upon family stories, he described his grandfather as a good tennis player. In a detailed interview, he spoke of his grandfather’s accomplishments. He stated, “We’ve always been proud of his career, and he left buildings behind as evidence of his work.”

Murchison studied at Columbia University and Paris’ Ecole des Beaux Arts. That was where he befriended John Russell Pope, who designed Washington, DC’s Jefferson Memorial, National Gallery of Art, and the National Archives. Murchison worked with Realtor Douglas Elliman to design New York City’s first cooperative apartments at 39 East 79th Street for friends including Mrs. James Roosevelt and Emily Post.

His other New York residential projects are his family’s residence at 49 East 63rd Street, where Maxfield Parrish once painted, and his residence at the Beaux Arts Apartments at 307 & 310 East 44th Street, which is regarded as a major Art Deco work. His patriotic contribution can be found at Staten Island’s U.S. Marine Hospital.

“Large projects did not deter him,” said Browning. Some of his great public works are Baltimore's Pennsylvania Station, Jacksonville’s New Union Station, Buffalo’s Lehigh Valley and Lackawanna terminals in Buffalo, Havana’s Terminal Station, Hoboken’s Delaware-Lackawanna Station, and Jamaica’s Long Island Railroad Station.

On a more personal scale, he founded and designed the Dunes Club in Narragansett Pier, Rhode Island, where his family summered, and he also designed the once affluent Sands Point Bath and Tennis Club of Long Island. North Carolina’s famed Orton Plantation was the Murchison family’s winter retreat, and examples of his work were additions to the Manor House and the Luola’s Chapel designed in his sister’s memory. It remained in their family until recently. Also in North Carolina, his name is memorialized in Wilmington’s Neo-Classical Revival Murchison National Bank Building.

Besides architecture, Murchison furthered his artistic talents and was an individual of high society.

“He founded the Beaux Arts Balls at Hotel Astor, which benefitted architects during The Great Depression,” said Browning. “He was a talented musician of 14 instruments, was excellent on the piano, and he conducted New York’s Mendelssohn Glee Club.”

In Bryant Park, he stood in the footsteps of George Washington and dressed in his attire to participate in a pageant commemorating the 143rd anniversary of Washington’s inauguration.

Pati de Wardener of Exeter, Rhode Island is the wife of Murchison’s grandson, Max de Wardener. She echoed Browning’s pride, and emphasized how Murchison’s legacy is evident in her family.

“His grandchildren and great-grandchildren inherited his work ethic, sense of community, humor, and style,” she said. “Some are business owners, photographers, electrical engineers, and teachers. Everyone inherited his love of music.”

His 1916 Broadway musical comedy, “Come To Bohemia,” was one example of his expertise as a composer.

After examining stadium photos, de Wardener explained, “Even with its age and scars, it exudes a grace that is timeless. The stands, although wood and not limestone, transports one back to the beautiful amphitheaters of ancient Rome and Greece. I see an ice skating rink in the winter, rollerblading, a jogging track, a dog park, a space for arts & crafts festivals, and an inviting sidewalk cafe nestled under the shade of arches where neighbors would gather.”

Robert Rauschenbach, a 50-year Forest Hills resident who grew up around the stadium, feels enriched. He enjoyed acts including Frank Sinatra, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Olivia Newton John, and Bette Midler, as well as the US Open and the Robert F. Kennedy Tournament featuring politicians playing celebrities.

“That stadium needs to be embraced as a shrine,” he said. “Without Forest Hills, there would be no US Open or Arthur Ashe Stadium.” He continued, “Forest Hills is a true icon in the classic sense of what a tennis stadium should be. It was built to last, and with some TLC, it will last hundreds of years.”

Forest Hills Tennis Stadium May Be Restored & WSTC To Celebrate 100 Years in Forest Hills This Summer

West Side Tennis Club Looks Back & Plans Ahead

by Michael Perlman of the Forest Hills Times/Queens Ledger

http://www.foresthillstimes.com/view/full_story/21967104/article-West-Side-Tennis-Club-Looks-Back--Plans-Ahead

The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, which is now 90 years old. America's first concrete tennis stadium! Photo by Michael Perlman

Caption: "The National Tennis Club" circa 1973, Published by Harlee George & Curteich Color, Courtesy of Michael Perlman Postcard Collection

The Tudor clubhouse of the West Side Tennis Club from the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, Photo by Peter Dutton

The West Side Tennis Club has reached a milestone!

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the stately $25,000 Tudor clubhouse overlooking tennis courts, which was designed by Grosvenor Atterbury, the principal architect of the 142-acre Forest Hills Gardens.

The year 2013 also marks the 90th anniversary that a foremost public building architect, Kenneth Murchison, designed the 14,000-seat eagle-adorned Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, which was the first concrete tennis stadium in the United States.

The West Side Tennis Club was founded in 1892 on Manhattan’s West Side. After outgrowing their second Manhattan home, the club surveyed over 30 locations for an expansion, and voted to move to Forest Hills Gardens on December 3, 1912. In 1913, land was secured with a $2,000 down payment and a $75,000 mortgage.

Come summer 2013, the West Side Tennis Club will celebrate by staging a series of events for club members and the community at large.

“History always repeats itself” may not be just a cliché, as the club marks new beginnings by eyeing an expansion yet again, while educating new generations about its rich but often overlooked tennis, music, social, and architectural contributions to Queens.

The West Side Tennis Club is exploring the idea of developing some covered tennis courts, squash courts, an ice skating rink, and a fitness facility, but at first, club members and the public can anticipate a summer filled with 100th anniversary celebrations.

The first celebration will be a flag ceremony on April 21 for club members. That will be followed by a series of events, such as summer tournaments, carnivals, free tennis clinics, and music festivals that recall the famed Forest Hills Music Festivals held throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

The inaugural New York Open from July 4-7 will consist of a hard court tournament, and will feature citywide amateurs and professionals. The open is being organized by Tennis In New York, a non-profit whose mission is to promote tennis and preserve its history in New York.

“This is why we felt that coordinating this event in Forest Hills would be so appropriate,” said Tennis In New York President and CEO Dale Caldwell.

It may become an annual tradition, evoking memories of a time when the U.S. Open was held at the Forest Hills tennis stadium.

The U.S. Open was founded in Forest Hills in 1968, but was moved to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in 1978 due to its popularity. In Forest Hills, generations witnessed tennis legends such as Tony Trabert, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, Don Budge, Bill Tilden, John McEnroe, and Helen Jacobs take the court.

Meanwhile, legendary musicians who performed in the stadium include Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Simon & Garfunkel, and Trini Lopez. Perhaps the most memorable moment was The Beatles landing in a helicopter on the grass courts.

For approximately 15 years, the stadium did not host events and gradually fell into disrepair. In October 2010, a plan to sell the stadium to Cord Meyer Development to demolish it to make way for condos was voted down by club members.

Former President Kenneth Parker expressed his disappointment, hoping it would improve club finances. On January 1, 2012, President Roland Meier took his seat, and now remains hopeful for a future that will capture some of the clubhouse and stadium’s past glory.

Some local business owners and residents see a brighter future. Rena Monogenis, co-owner of the 44-year-old Stoa Jewelry at 71-60 Austin Street praised the idea behind the New York Open and summer events.

“This would restore a spirit to our neighborhood,” she said, reminiscing on her early twenties when she saw Billie Jean King play. “It would be wonderful getting the stadium back into action. When something is built well, it weathers the years and should not go to waste.”

“The events planned for this summer are really great because it would help support the effort to restore and revive the club and its iconic stadium,” said James Voketaitis, who has lived in Forest Hills for 18 years. “I am sure there will be many Queens organizations that will be very interested.”

One such organization is the Queens Economic Development Corporation, where Forest Hills resident Seth Bornstein is the executive director. Upon hearing about the club’s anniversary and vision, he also saw potential for the club and stadium, calling it a great asset to Queens and New York City.

“Their concept is good, and would certainly attract visitors to Queens,” he said. “Bringing people to Forest Hills would help local shops and restaurants along Austin Street and Metropolitan Avenue. If the West Side Tennis Club moves on this, the Queens Tourism Council would certainly help promote it.”

In an interview with Meier, he explained his vision and the progress already underway.

“The New York Open will be a first, and we hope it will become a major New York event,” he said. “We have a lot of interest from people who want to play, companies who want to participate, and special guests.”

Meier hopes the 100th anniversary events and the conceived expansion will lead to the stadium’s revitalization.

“We are looking at a gradual restoration,” he said. “I believe we can have quality tennis events, ice hockey in the winter, and a few classy concerts on a small scale which our club can associate with. We picture a mix between classical concerts and modern music.”

Members are contributing and volunteering their time to many projects.

“We are building a playground, and the club is becoming more family-friendly,” Meier said. “If you live in the neighborhood, it’s the best backyard to play in.”

Some people have suggested that the stadium is not structurally sound, but Meier refuted that claim.

“We did testing and the structure is sound,” he said. “We need to seal the stadium to avoid water penetration and need a new sewer system.”

Meier takes pride in the 100-plus new members that joined this past year, which includes many young members and families.

“We have achieved something that we never have before in our club history,” he said. “We were very isolated for many years, but now we are becoming a part of the neighborhood. This is a start to closing our wallflower status.

“We are onto something and can gain momentum to make it into a real club,” Meier added. “I want the West Side Tennis Club to survive for another 100 years and become a destination again.”

Eye on the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, 2010 photo by Pat Lannan

From the grandstands towards the historic field & clubhouse, Photo by Peter Dutton

The eagle overlooking the field has gone astray, but restoration would be a plus. Historic photo courtesy of Michael Perlman & Rego-Forest Preservation Council

Celebrities were a staple at the stadium & club. This is magazine clipping from circa 1954.

Forest Hills Tennis Stadium May Have A Sports & Entertainment Future

Proposed exterior perspective, Courtesy of Stadium Arts Alliance & rendered by John Ciardullo PC

Proposed site plan, Courtesy of Stadium Arts Alliance & rendered by John Ciardullo PC

At the legendary Forest Hills Tennis Stadium, the ball may be back in court. A non-profit known as the Stadium Arts Alliance is one of the contenders that submitted a proposal, in response to the West Side Tennis Club's Request For Proposals which ended on November 4th. The Stadium Arts Alliance would potentially lease the stadium and boost revenue for the WSTC. All particulars are not yet publicly known, but the US' 1st concrete tennis stadium would likely undergo restoration and conversion to accommodate tennis matches and hockey, with music and art festivals in the warmer months. 

A known alteration would be the installation of stadium seating in place of the authentic wood and iron grandstands, and a reduction of seating from 14,000 to 9,700. The dilapidated barbed-wire fence surrounding the property would be replaced by a traditional iron fence with brick posts, and the perimeters would be landscaped. A new walkway with an overhead brick archway with pitched rooflines and letters which read "WSTC Stadium." Two replicas of the Stadium's blue & gold glazed terra-cotta shields bearing the WSTC logo and "1923" would be installed on the gateway. Historic architectural features including the archways, eagles, shields, flagpoles, and cornice lines would undergo restoration.

Besides the Stadium Arts Alliance's proposal, Cord Meyer proposed a new plan for condos, and other proposals also involved demolition for residential development. For a proposal to materialize, it would be subject to a review by the Stadium Committee, and in 2012, it would need to pass by a 2/3 vote of WSTC voting-eligible members, followed by approval of the Forest Hills Gardens Corporation.

The Stadium Arts Alliance is comprised of developer & President Kevin McCabe, and Chairman John Banks. Kevin McCabe is the founding partner and chief executive of the Aviator Sports & Events Center at Floyd Bennett Field, and John Banks is the VP of Government Relations for Con Ed, and a NY Public Library and MTA board member.

A seemingly greater path towards the stadium's restoration and creative reuse was discovered on November 3, 2011, when the WSTC elected Roland Meier as their new President over Kenneth Parker, who was reportedly anti-preservation. In August 2010, Cord Meyer Development proposed condos on the site of the stadium, and in protest, WSTC Tennis Committee Chair Roland Meier resigned from his position. Some neighborhood residents, countrywide preservationists, WSTC members, and tennis and music notables joined Rego-Forest Preservation Council in opposition to the condo plan. After the October 2010 vote, Kenneth Parker expressed his disappointment that the Cord Meyer plan was rejected by more than half of its voting-eligible WSTC members.

Chairman Michael Perlman of Rego-Forest Preservation Council explains, "Since the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium became endangered in July 2010 for typical condos, we have advocated for the historic stadium's preservation and creative-reuse as a mixed-use venue, to benefit the greater community and the WSTC. We will continue to hold public relations campaigns, conduct outreach, coordinate petition drives and letter campaigns, and meet with elected officials and other influential parties. We have maintained a dialogue with some tennis buffs, preservationists, some celebs, & President Obama's Advisory Board on Historic Preservation, which supports preservation and reuse. On behalf of Rego-Forest Preservation Council, I submitted a comprehensive city landmark bid in July 2010, and a bid for the State & National Register of Historic Places in summer 2011, in which the latter would likely generate more funding for restoring (and ultimately reusing) the stadium, if approved. We will support any plan that encompasses tennis, music and art festivals, and restores the iconic features of the iconic Stadium. There is always hope towards preserving and reusing our historic sites, as long as there is creativity, dedication, and proactive teamwork. Mixed-use creative revitalization and restoration for our country's 1st concrete tennis stadium, and home to firsts in the tennis and music world, will convey historic pride, create jobs, and be a boost to our quality of life, character, property values, and local business, as well as become a 21st-century family destination." 

President Obama's Advisory Board on Historic Preservation admitted that the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission "irked its public duty," by not calendaring the stadium for a public hearing. Rego-Forest Preservation Council feels the LPC has a "double-standard" when it comes to Queens, since under the Landmarks Law's architectural and cultural provisions, the Stadium has the criteria for city landmarking, and it mentions nothing about a site's physical condition as a means for rejection. Sites in worse physical condition in Manhattan have been heard, landmarked, and restored. If it becomes a State & Federal landmark through NYS Historic Preservation Office (the Register), the West Side Tennis Club and any potential partner or owner can apply for federal tax credits, state grants, as well as other funds for repairing the stadium.

NY 1 News coverage, Nov 5, 2011:
http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/150250/new-proposal-aims-to-bring-sports-back-to-historic-queens-stadium 

Michael Perlman's feature story for Untapped Cities offers a comprehensive illustrated history, and explains the community rewards for collaborating to save a rare piece of Americana:
http://newyork.untappedcities.com/2011/07/29/preservation-campaign-underway-for-america%E2%80%99s-tennis-stadium

The storied stadium provides dimension to the streetscape! Photo by Michael Perlman

View from the top, as the eagles have a commanding view of Forest Hills, Photo by Peter Dutton

Have a seat in the grandstands & visualize legendary tennis players & musicians, which once again can play at the stadium, Photo by Peter Dutton