Mayor Adams Announces Opening of First Indoor Baseball Center in Washington Heights for Free Year-Round Youth Programming as 'Public Safety Week' Continues

December 14, 2024

$382,000 Renovation and State-of-the-Art Equipment Funded
Through Public-Private Partnership, Including Asset Forfeiture Funds

Facility to Serve as Hub for Saturday Night Lights Program

DYCD Launches New Saturday Night Lights Websiteto
Connect Families to Programming in Their Neighborhoods

NEW YORK - New York City Mayor Eric Adams today continued "Public Safety Week" with Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Chauncey Parker, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana Almanzar, New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Keith Howard, and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) Commissioner Sue Donoghue, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, community partners, and young athletes as they celebrated the grand opening of the first indoor baseball center in Washington Heights, which will be open year-round to young people at no cost as part of the city's Saturday Night Lights program.

"Saturday Night Lights brings joy and positivity to our kids through sport - and gives our young people an alternative at the times when crimes are most likely to be committed," said Mayor Adams. "Every young person should have an opportunity to thrive, and through programs like Saturday Night Lights, our Summer Youth Employment Programs, the Mentorship and Advocacy Program, and more, we are helping give our kids alternatives and opportunities. Programs like this on nights and weekends keep our young people in safe places and away from gun violence, and builds trust between police, community, and our youth. Saturday Night Lights is about giving young people another choice and about keeping the city safe. Together, we can do better for our young people."

"Saturday Night Lights is a shining example of how we can keep our communities safe with the lightest touch possible," said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Parker. "This center, like all of our Saturday Night Lights locations, is more than just a place for young people to play sports; it's a pathway to greater opportunities and brighter futures. Every investment in spaces like this is an investment in our kids' safety and potential. I'm grateful to all of our partners who helped turn this vision into reality and continue to make our communities safer and stronger."

The 4,500-square-foot facility, located at the Police Athletic League Armory Center at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, features a fully-turfed versatile gym space, batting cages, and state-of-the-art equipment, including baseball and golf simulators. The $382,000 renovation of the center, which began in January 2024, was funded with $300,000 in asset forfeiture funds and $82,000 from the Police Athletic League.

Equipment for the center was funded by The DICK's Sporting Goods Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation's "Game On-Community Places to Play" initiative, which awards grants to non-profit community-based organizations leading renovation projects of indoor and outdoor athletic spaces that serve young athletes, particularly in under-resourced communities.

The center honors Washington Heights' significance in the history of baseball as it is located one block from the former site of Hilltop Park, the original home of the New York Yankees when they were known as the New York Highlanders.

DYCD Commissioner Howard today also announced the launch of a new Saturday Night Lights websitewith online and in-person registration options and an updated map of locations to better connect families with programming in their neighborhoods.

Saturday Night Lights is a citywide partnership that offers free, high-quality sports programming for youth, ages 11 to 18, at nearly 140 locations across the city from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Saturday nights - a time of the week when crime historically spikes. The program is led by DYCD in conjunction with the NYPD, New York City Public Schools, NYC Parks, the city's five district attorney's offices, and more than 50 community partners. Saturday Night Lights aims to engage young people, build trust between law enforcement and communities, and enable youth to develop the skills, knowledge, and meaningful relationships necessary to reach their fullest potential.

Saturday Night Lights was launched at a single Harlem gym in 2011 and expanded citywide in 2019. In July 2022, Mayor Adams invested $1.25 million to expand the Saturday Night Lights programto 25 additional sites. In August 2024, Mayor Adams and DYCD announced an additional $2 million to expand programming and hourseven further across select Saturday Night Lights, Cornerstone,and Beaconprograms to keep young people safe during the summer.

Mayor Adams' administration continues to invest in creating safe spaces for youth and providing young people with opportunities for advancement, including delivering more than 15,000 apprenticeship opportunitiesthrough more than $15 million in public and private funds; investing $4.2 million in state grantsto provide youth team sports programming, sports education, and athletic equipment upgrades across the city; expanding both the Summer Youth Employmentand Summer Rising programs to serve record numbers of young people; connecting students to $8.2 million from paid work experiences at top companies through FutureReadyNYC; and launching "Pathways to an Inclusive Economy: An Action Plan for Young Adult Career Success," an over $600 million action plan to bolster the city's talent ecosystem.

The administration is also keeping young people safe by combating subway surfing, providing nearly 7,000 teens with free mental health servicesthrough "NYC Teenspace," holding social media companies accountablefor fueling a nationwide youth mental health crisis, and cracking down on the illegal sale of flavored e-cigarettes, the most popular vaping devices among middle school and high school youth.

Today's announcement comes as part of Mayor Adams' "Public Safety" Week, which continues to highlight the Adams administration's community-driven public safety models - unveiling new and ongoing efforts to keep New Yorkers safe and improve their quality of life. Earlier this week, Mayor Adams released, "Safer Together: Results of the Adams Administration's Community-Driven Public Safety Approach," outlining the results of the administration's approach to public safety by delivering multi-agency responses to communities dealing with persistent public safety and quality-of-life concerns. In addition to highlighting neighborhood-by-neighborhood responses, key indicators of the report show the administration's "Community Link" multi-agency response efforts resolved nearly 730 complaints, conducted over 1,070 operations, and issued over 15,900 summonses since launching in May 2023.

"Today marks a grand slam for Washington Heights and our young athletes. This new indoor baseball center is not just an investment in our community; it's a home run for our youth, offering them a safe space to grow, learn, and thrive. This facility goes beyond keeping kids active-it's about engaging them in the work of building brighter futures through sports," said New York State Senator Robert Jackson. "The message is clear: every child deserves the chance to excel, and today, New York City is making sure that opportunity is within their reach. It's a commitment to our youth, a declaration that their dreams matter."

"As we bask in the good news of the Mets signing Juan Soto, New York baseball fans now have even more to celebrate," said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. "After a $382,000 renovation through a commonsense public-private partnership, we are opening the first-ever indoor baseball facility in Washington Heights, steps away from the former site of the Yankees' Hilltop Park. Thanks to free programming from our Saturday Night Lights program, children in Upper Manhattan and across the city have the opportunity to play America's national pastime year-round. This will keep children off the streets, foster goodwill with law enforcement, and allow youth to develop physically and socially. It is a home run for public safety, our children, and our communities. I only hope program participants remember their roots once they are MLB All Stars."

"This is a home run for young baseball lovers. Saturday Night Lights is a great resource for tweens and teens, giving them a safe place to hang out every weekend, get to know other sports fans their age, and build community," said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. "Thank you to the PAL Armory Center for adding an indoor baseball center to the SNL roster and to all of the community partners who make SNL possible."

"It takes a village to ensure our kids' safe and successful future," said New York City Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa."Funding after-school initiatives, mentorship programming, and athletic opportunities for our youth have always been a priority. I look forward to continued collaboration for youth programming."

"I am thrilled to see the opening of this incredible indoor baseball center in Washington Heights. Access to safe, engaging spaces like this is essential for our young people and their families," said New York City Councilmember Althea Stevens, chair. Committee on Children and Youth. "When we invest in our youth, we are investing in the future of our city. Every child deserves the chance to thrive in an environment that supports their growth and potential, and I am excited about the opportunities this center will provide for our communities year-round."

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