Last week, I visited Kings Athletic Club in Brooklyn Heights, in the former Eastern Athletic Club space. I came away with a clear picture of who it's built for: families first, and racquet sport players a close second. At approximately 52,000 square feet, the club brings together sports, wellness, and hospitality in a setting designed to serve as more than just a place to work out.
From my first conversation with one of the partners showing me around, it was obvious that a family-centric space is a big part of the plan. He kept coming back to how kid-friendly the club will be, and that comes through in the way the space is designed for entire households rather than just the individual gym-goer. With a dedicated teen room and recreational activities, the club is clearly making an effort to appeal to families.
A rendering one of the indoor tennis courts. Credit: Alfredo Paredes Studio
The range of facilities is impressive. In addition to tennis, pickle-ball, and squash courts, there is a swimming pool, yoga and Pilates studios, a half basketball court, golf simulators, and a full gym. The wellness offering also includes saunas, cold plunges, red light therapy, and massage rooms. There are social spaces such as the restaurant, a movie theater and a games room.
I've seen a lot of clubs in New York City, and these facilities are on par with some of the best, particularly for tennis and other racquet sports. Access to the racquet facilities come at a premium, though, with a separate, higher-priced membership structure with an initiation fee that is more than double the club's regular membership.
The common and lounge areas have a warm, contemporary feel, with the kind of finishes you'd expect from a space meant to serve as a second living room. The tradeoff is natural light. Because the club sits below street level, there is very little daylight in most of the building.
Although the space was not yet 100% finished during my visit, the club was already open. A large group was playing Mah-Jongg across several tables in the games room, while others were holding meetings in the lounge. That's what a neighborhood club should look like: people using the space as an extension of their homes or offices.
Will people use it? I think so. But given the high cost of joining, which is in line with what you might expect from a suburban country club, I do wonder whether the club offers enough to justify the price. That said, you can't underestimate the draw of tennis in a city where court time is at a premium. For Brooklyn Heights families and racquet sport enthusiasts, Kings Athletic Club certainly offers something that is not easy to find elsewhere nearby.
