(Author's note: this article was originally written in September 2016. I thought I would repost it given that the sport of squash is being voted on soon by the LA 2028 Organizing Committee)
Six years ago I got terrible news. The squash club just down the street from my home on 8th Avenue, where I played or coached almost every day, was finally scheduled to close permanently. It was the last squash club that existed in downtown New York City and it closed its doors a short while later. Hundreds of members of the squash club were shocked. Playing squash was a ritual for many people, something which was abruptly taken away from them.
At the time I wrote a letter to a local newspaper in an attempt to create enough community support to see a new facility built in the area. Soon thereafter a not for profit organization was formed by representatives of the old club with the goal of creating a new squash center downtown. Unfortunately, the efforts to build a new club remain unsuccessful today (Editor's note: Not anymore, since we successfully reintroduced squash downtown NYC as www.opensquash.org). One can only wonder what would have transpired if Equinox had kept the five international courts instead of un-ceremoniously tearing them down in December 2010. My hunch is the courts would have remained very busy. Now we will never know.
To reminisce, here is my letter to the Editor of the Villager newspaper written in vain at the time:
"The Printing House Fitness & Squash Club, located on Hudson and Leroy Sts. in the West Village, has been sold to Equinox, a chain of gyms run by a large nationwide corporation. Printing House was a privately owned health club that was an enclave, an oasis and a home away from home for many New Yorkers. I know this because I was one of them.
It is important to know what is being lost. Printing House was once one of the best boutique health clubs in New York City. Members often lasted there for years, if not decades, and friendships that began in the classes or on the gym floor often extended into the neighborhood. This was particularly true of the squash players at the club.
Some people may not be surprised by what has happened. They say squash is on the decline worldwide; that squash clubs in London and Sydney and elsewhere that were once bastions of the sport are being left to die slow painful deaths, or are simply being converted for other uses. I am afraid that this may actually be the sad truth. That trend, however, does not apply to the U.S., where squash is growing rapidly. So what is happening to the Printing House is not indicative of squash in New York or in the U.S., generally. The closure of the last remaining genuine squash club in Downtown Manhattan is owing to factors external to the sport.
We sincerely hope that a new squash club will be developed, one with the vision of community as its foundation."
At the time I wrote a letter to a local newspaper in an attempt to create enough community support to see a new facility built in the area. Soon thereafter a not for profit organization was formed by representatives of the old club with the goal of creating a new squash center downtown. Unfortunately, the efforts to build a new club remain unsuccessful today (Editor's note: Not anymore, since we successfully reintroduced squash downtown NYC as www.opensquash.org). One can only wonder what would have transpired if Equinox had kept the five international courts instead of un-ceremoniously tearing them down in December 2010. My hunch is the courts would have remained very busy. Now we will never know.
To reminisce, here is my letter to the Editor of the Villager newspaper written in vain at the time:
"The Printing House Fitness & Squash Club, located on Hudson and Leroy Sts. in the West Village, has been sold to Equinox, a chain of gyms run by a large nationwide corporation. Printing House was a privately owned health club that was an enclave, an oasis and a home away from home for many New Yorkers. I know this because I was one of them.
It is important to know what is being lost. Printing House was once one of the best boutique health clubs in New York City. Members often lasted there for years, if not decades, and friendships that began in the classes or on the gym floor often extended into the neighborhood. This was particularly true of the squash players at the club.
The squash program at the Printing House was successful for a few reasons: It had the most courts (five) of any public club in the city and yet was extremely affordable relative to the other clubs. There was no waiting list to get in, no dress code and no strict club rules. And the experience was addictive — being in a totally relaxed atmosphere, having a hard game of squash with a friend and enjoying the health benefits of a super-aerobic sport as an alternative to the other fitness options that are available at many other clubs.
The physical benefits aside, squash’s social aspect was also a huge drawing card. The sport is extremely inclusive. There were regular round-robins where players of any level could sign up for two hours of vigorous competition on the court and then all go out for a drink afterward at a local watering hole. Playing in a Printing House round-robin was a complete experience.
Unfortunately, despite this vibrant community of more than 250 players, the Printing House recently announced the end of its squash program. Equinox does not offer squash as part of its business model, and hence, the courts were scheduled to close permanently on Dec. 15 of this year.
Some people may not be surprised by what has happened. They say squash is on the decline worldwide; that squash clubs in London and Sydney and elsewhere that were once bastions of the sport are being left to die slow painful deaths, or are simply being converted for other uses. I am afraid that this may actually be the sad truth. That trend, however, does not apply to the U.S., where squash is growing rapidly. So what is happening to the Printing House is not indicative of squash in New York or in the U.S., generally. The closure of the last remaining genuine squash club in Downtown Manhattan is owing to factors external to the sport.
Not surprisingly, the New York squash community is devastated. Several avid squash players I know moved to the Village to be near their beloved club. These same members are not taking Equinox’s decision lying down. A committee was quickly formed in the interests of keeping squash in Downtown Manhattan. They are currently exploring options for a new home.
Would it not be great if New Yorkers could develop a player-owned squash club and buck the trend by remaining independent and reincarnating what they had at the Printing House? There will be many challenges, not least of which is finding an available space in which to build the new club. But if anyone can make this happen, it is this group of people — from artists and writers to attorneys and accountants — all of whom are passionate about this sport and will do all they can to preserve it.
We sincerely hope that a new squash club will be developed, one with the vision of community as its foundation."
(Author's note: It happened, check out: https://www.opensquash.org/)
