Multipurpose Recreation Area Opens at Polo Grounds Towers  

On July 11, Manhattan’s Polo Grounds Towers marked the official opening of a multi-use recreation space, which includes a newly upgraded basketball court.    

Complete with new painting, surfacing, and hoops to host pickup basketball games, the new space can also be converted into tennis or volleyball courts with new netting and boundary markings. The approximately $500,000 project – which also features new seating areas, fencing, and landscaping – was funded by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office with revenue seized during investigations into major banks.  

Polo Grounds community members and resident leaders were joined by the District Attorney’s Office, local elected officials, and NYCHA representatives to welcome the newly expanded recreation area with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.   

“I was proud to celebrate the opening of this fantastic basketball court, the latest in our office’s extensive history of using money seized in investigations against big banks to build up our communities and support our youth,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. “Thank you to our partners at NYCHA and the NYPD, and most importantly, the residents and community members who will use this court for years to come!” 

In 2021, NYCHA opened more than a dozen basketball courts across the city thanks to NYPD funding through asset forfeiture revenue provided by the District Attorney’s Office. NYCHA and City officials have lauded ongoing basketball court renovation projects throughout the Authority for providing local youth with a safe, positive outlet for sports and recreation. 

“It is critical for young New Yorkers to have access to positive outlets, open spaces, and recreational activities,” NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt said. “We thank District Attorney Bragg for his help in renovating this basketball court for Polo Grounds Towers. It will provide NYCHA residents with a space to gather and socialize, to exercise, and to engage in healthy activities outside their homes.” 

NYPD Acting Commissioner Edward Caban added: “Over the past two years, the NYPD, NYCHA, and District Attorney Bragg’s office have overhauled 15 basketball courts in public housing developments – creating climates that contribute to the City’s ongoing crime reduction by inviting exercise and other positive social activities. As we move forward together, our exciting partnership continues to benefit all the people we serve.” 

Polo Grounds Resident Association President Serena Chandler believes the outdoor sports site will be heavily used by both youth and adults and help “bring more unity to our campus.” 

“I think they’re really going to enjoy the space, and it is so beautiful,” Ms. Chandler said. “It’s really something that Polo Grounds can stand proudly and say ‘this is ours.’”   

Noting that she advocated for incorporating the additional sports of volleyball and tennis, Ms. Chandler said it’s important to expose youth to new activities, as future stars in a range of sports may be growing up at Polo Grounds.     

“I think a lot of the children have a competitive spirit about them and we should nurture that and see what it blossoms into,” she noted.