While fitness facilities and public parks are increasingly converting basketball and tennis courts into pickleball playing surfaces, inside some of Manhattan’s most coveted new residential buildings, basketball is back on top
There’s been a swift takeover at tennis and basketball courts across the country in recent years, leaving anyone who isn’t a pickleball player scratching their heads.
One study conducted by The New York Times using aerial photography found that 8,000 tennis courts have been converted into pickleball courts, while more than 26,000 outdoor pickleball courts have appeared in the last seven years.
A similar phenomenon is playing out on the hardwood.
When a luxury development struck a deal with Fort Lauderdale city commissioners to replace a 65-year-old beachside basketball court with pickleball courts, a group of basketball players called the Beach Ballers launched a petition to save their courts.
Back in New York, members of Life Time’s Brooklyn’s Dumbo location received a jarring notice late last year: the gym’s popular basketball court was closing permanently — and pickleball was moving in. It was well-intended; after all, the luxury fitness and wellness club operator has long made decisive moves that reflect member demand, and racket sports are booming. But for those who had joined specifically for basketball, it was a blow.
The pushback makes sense when looking at the numbers. According to a Nielsen Sports study commissioned by the International Basketball Federation, more than 3.3 billion people worldwide identify as basketball fans, making it the second-most popular sport on the planet, behind soccer.
New York City’s luxury real estate market has heard the same call. Several new developments across Manhattan are investing in basketball amenities, with light-filled courts available year-round, rain or shine, for residents who want to run a pick-up game or practice shooting hoops.
Meet the Manhattan buildings keeping hoops alive in the Big Apple:
Always in Season
At The Henry on the Upper West Side, a Robert A.M. Stern Architects-designed indoor basketball court awaits b-ball fans of all ages and skill levels. The half court joins other amenities, including a rooftop lawn, bocce ball court, bowling alley and pickleball.
Danielle Naftali, Naftali Group’s executive vice president of marketing, sales and design, said that while pickleball has emerged as one of the most requested modern amenities, basketball’s multigenerational pull is what gives it staying power.
“Offering a classic sport like basketball creates a broader appeal and elevates The Henry’s lifestyle-enriching experiences that residents of all ages, skill levels and interests can enjoy,” she said.
A Hooper’s Paradise in LES
Extell Development has taken the court seriously at two properties.
At One Manhattan Square, a waterfront condominium on the Lower East Side, residents can shoot hoops on a full-size indoor court and even join the building’s own basketball league. After playing, they can cool down in a saltwater pool, soak in the hot tub or take a cold plunge. The building also includes a two-lane bowling alley, squash court, golf simulator and a fitness center and spa.
A similar lineup is available at 50 West 66th Street on the Upper West Side, including a fitness center, sky lounge and an outdoor saltwater pool and hot tub.
“At both 50 West 66th Street and One Manhattan Square, we didn’t feel the need to choose between basketball and pickleball,” said Bryan Grandison, Extell’s director of lifestyle services. “We designed regulation-size courts that seamlessly accommodate both, giving residents the scale and presence of a true basketball court with the flexibility to enjoy pickleball as well.”
Game On
Also on the Upper West Side, 250 West 96th Street takes a similar approach. JVP Development built a half-court into the project from the earliest design stages, and developer Van Nguyen is clear about why. Not only does it bring people together and encourage interaction among neighbors, it also gives them a chance to organize a casual league.
“In New York, basketball is woven into the city’s identity and embraced across generations, from neighborhood courts to school gyms and community centers,” Nguyen said. “Its appeal never feels dated or seasonal, which is why we see it as a true mainstay rather than a passing trend.”
The court at the building also converts to a regulation squash court, offered alongside a fitness center, Pilates room, a 75-foot saltwater lap pool, steam room and sauna.
Home-Court Advantage
720 West End Avenue isn’t sleeping on basketball, either.
The Upper West side building features a multi-purpose area for everything from organized tournaments to casual games for b-ball and squash, as well as a golf simulator, billiards and fitness studio.
