New-York tribune., 1920-02-02
Structure Will
Afford Room
For l4Courts {
National Woman Champion
of 1908 Ready to Spend
ST, 100000 for Project
! By Fred Hawthorne

The dream that players Of indoor
lawn tennis in this city have been
dreaming for several years-namely,
an adequate. modernly equipped build
ing, with suitable courts, locker rooms,
etc, within easy reaching distance
from any point in the city-seems
about to be realized.
Several weeks ago il this column,
and more than once. have drawn at
tention to the fact that New York, the
worlds greatest city and the very hub
OF the lawn tennis world in this coun-
try, was almost utterly without the
proper facilities for the playing of the
indoor game
An Immense Plant
Yesterday | learned from most re-
liable sources. that Mrs. IL. Barger-
Wallach. national champion of 1908 and
one of the leading figures IN women,s
tennis ever since she took up the game,
is planning to erect g building in East
Sixty Street so large that there
will be room for fourteen indoor courts
seven on the first and seven on the
second floor.
Architects plans for this building
have already been drawn. and these
show that it will be complete TO the
most minute detail. Not only will
there be the courts and locker rooms,
shower baths, smoking rooms, etc, on
the first two floors, but rising above
these will be apartments. a restaurant,
tea room and other conveniences. Stores
will also occupy part of the street level.
My sources of information lead me
to believe that the entire project VIII
involve more than 81 100000 exclusive
of the ground upon which the pro-
posed building will be erected. This is
owned by Mrs. Wallach, and is said to
face on Park Avenue, extending $50
feet on one side and 200 on the other.
Just what the lighting system will
be for these courts am unable to tell
at present, but it is possible that the
same system as that used at the famous
Queens Club, in London, may be fol-
lowed. In other words, the two floors
that contain the courts may receive
their lighting from the sides, through
heavy glass walls, as is the case at the
Queens Club, thus doing away with the
necessity of artificial light, except at
night.
Center of Indoor Game
Mrs. Barger Wallach will be doing
more to aid the game of indoor tennis
by the erection Of such a building as
l have described than could possibly
be accomplished in any other way.
New York City would become the cen
ter of the indoor game in America
indeed, in the world-for nowhere else
would there be such complete plant.
The mems, women's and Juniors in
door championship tournaments would
increase amazingly in importance and
the greatest players in the country
would be attracted here. There is no
doubt that the tennis world would
thoroughly appreciate the debt it owed
to the former national woman cham
pion by the deed Of such gift.
While the entire proposition, as
have outlined it, is said to be wholly a
private enterprise upon the part Of
Mrs. Wallach, there is not the slightest
doubt as to her primary purpose in
planning such building, and that is to
advance the welfare of the indoor
game.
While anything like naming a def
mite date for the completion of con-
struction work in these troublous times
of labor is practical impossiblity, !
understand that Mrs. Wallach hopes to
have the tennis building in use toward
the latter part of next winter.