The Novogratz Center for Athletics
Poly Prep Country Day School, Brooklyn, New York

Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, NY recently completed construction on The Novogratz Center for Athletics. The new 27,900 s.f. facility – the first new building on the school’s Dyker Heights campus in nearly 20 years – was designed to flexibly accommodate Poly Prep’s growing athletics program and provide a new home for their squash and wrestling teams.

To be cost effective, the building utilizes a pre-engineered steel structural system which has been customized to meet the specific functions and needs of the school.

The design activates the main façade by angling the east front wall, producing a dynamic aesthetic of motion and grace reflective of sports. The articulation of the south and east façades achieves a scale consistent with the existing campus buildings.

The split-rib concrete masonry unit clad elevator tower helps to transition between the existing traditional brick buildings and the new Athletic Center.

The exterior wall of the existing Legacy Gymnasium building is left exposed forming the south wall within the lobby spaces, integrating the existing building with the new.

The building is divided into three levels:

The First Floor is a 12,428 s.f. dedicated squash facility that houses four practice squash courts and two all-glass, international-competition-size squash courts. This level is connected to the four existing squash courts within the adjacent Legacy Gymnasium building.

The 3,430 s.f. Mezzanine Level provides men’s and women’s restroom facilities and athletic department office space. The Mezzanine was designed to align with the same level as the adjacent Legacy Gymnasium floor and offers direct access between the facilities.

The 11,311 s.f. Second Floor is designed as a multi-purpose gymnasium. The flexible configuration is designed to accommodate wrestling and basketball and includes retractable spectator seating. A divider curtain can be lowered to separate two practice fencing lanes from the main space. Additionally, a 733 s.f. outdoor terrace on the south side of the building provides 270 degree views of the Verrazano Bridge and surrounding Poly Prep athletic fields.