The Building

One of the first things people notice when approaching the Cove Neck Tennis Court is the unique style of the building itself. Often compared to an army barracks or an airplane hangar, the design of the structure, built in 1931-1932, was the brainchild of Gavin Hadden, a New York engineer well-known for his work on athletic plants throughout the country. 

Country Life Magazine featured an article on indoor tennis court construction in February 1932 and noted that at the time Cove Neck Tennis Court was built there were only three indoor tennis courts in Manhattan while Paris could boast of twenty-three.

Constructing an indoor tennis court presented unique challenges. As the magazine noted, “…only when one studies the whole matter – the heating, construction, the lighting, and other details – does one realize what an extremely technical problem [building an indoor court] is.”

Mr. Hadden’s “trajectory” design attempted to solve these issues by “(constructing) a building with a curved, arching roof which spans the court longitudinally, making the highest part of the roof directly over the net, where height is, of course, most important.” 

Arts and Decoration Magazine, in February 1933, referred to the Gavin Hadden- designed Cove Neck Tennis Court design as “novel,” using the trajectory design but also with windows on the side letting lots of light in but not much sunlight directly on the courts as with a glass-roofed facility. A photo of Cove Neck Tennis Court also appeared in the June 1936 Architectural Record supporting the trajectory style of design.

The Club

Cove Neck Tennis Court was incorporated on May 28, 1931 for the purpose of “establishing and maintaining facilities for a tennis club.”

The money to construct the courts, built on land owned by Mrs. Van S. Merle-Smith, was put up by nine founding families living in or near Cove Neck. The land was originally leased until 1932 when the Club received a deed. The deed, however, was not recorded until 1966 when the Club purchased the property outright from Mrs. Merle-Smith.

The original officers and directors of the Club were all ladies. Club membership expanded during the 1930’s to include families, as it does today, who lived some distance from Cove Neck. The Club continued to flourish until the United States entered World War II. Many members who were in the service resigned, and many others found it difficult to travel to Cove Neck due to gas rationing. The Club suspended operation from 1943 to 1945 and ownership of the property reverted to Mrs. Merle-Smith.

Largely due to the efforts of Mrs. Philip J. Roosevelt, the Club was reorganized and resumed operation in 1945 following VJ Day. In 1962, the Club was expressly recognized by the Cove Neck Zoning Ordinance and in 1966 the Club purchased its property from Mrs. Merle-Smith.

Except for the interruption during World War II, Cove Neck Tennis Court has served as an inviting facility for enjoying a lively game of tennis with friends. During winter weekends, a fire in the fireplace and tea and cookies on the sideboard welcome members and their guests, and promote a congenial ambiance to go along with the competitive play.