Rendering of the future field house
鶹 has received approval from the Irvington Planning Board to build a 26,140-square-foot field house featuring indoor sports courts, a walking track and a community quad. The field house will feature views of the Hudson River and integrate with existing campus green spaces.
The facility will serve primarily as a hub for Mercy students, faculty and staff for athletics, intramurals and campus events, but will also be available to the community for rentals, open sessions and regional activities.
Site work is expected to begin in phases this spring, with construction projected to take 14 to 18 months.
Read more about it in the Rivertowns Dispatch and below.
Rivertowns Dispatch: Mercy gets go-ahead to build campus field house
February 13, 2026
IRVINGTON — 鶹’s proposed 19,000-square-foot field house, situated on the Irvington section of the campus, is a go. The planning board approved the project, first introduced last April, during a public meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Of the campus’ 66 total acres, 31.5 acres are in Irvington, while the rest are in Dobbs Ferry.
The 46-foot-tall field house, located west of Verrazzano Hall, will include two indoor tennis courts and a basketball court, with the potential to turn one of the tennis courts into three pickleball courts. The field house will be built on what is now a parking lot, east of a slope leading down to the Hudson River.
Plans for the facility also include a mezzanine walking track above the courts, as well as restrooms, changing areas, an office, and a meeting room. There will be no fixed seating in the building.
According to 鶹 Vice President of Operations and Facilities Thomas Simmonds, the field house will be primarily for Mercy students, faculty, and staff. On occasion it will be open to the public for specific events, and will also be available for rentals.
"This project is about more than just a building, it’s about creating a vibrant hub for connection,” Simmonds wrote to the Dispatch. “For Mercy, these improvements are central to building a strong sense of belonging that helps us attract and retain students. For our neighbors in Dobbs Ferry and Irvington, it strengthens our partnership by creating a welcoming environment that serves as a true community resource."
Since construction of the field house will result in the loss of 120 parking spaces, a new parking lot east of Verrazzano Hall — where the field house was initially proposed to be built — is part of the project. Mercy changed the location of the field house in July, in response to concerns about tree removal and blocking views of the Hudson River from the Old Croton Aqueduct Trailway.
“The dialogue with the planning board and Irvington residents was invaluable — it didn't just move the process forward, it enhanced the project,” Simmonds wrote. “Their input helped us refine the project so that it not only meets Mercy’s goals, but fits seamlessly into the fabric of the wider community."
The project will also replace the three existing tennis courts east of Verrazzano Hall, which are in need of repair, with a new outdoor tennis court and a new outdoor basketball court. The university also plans to build a grass-and-stone quad area in front of the field house. The design for the field house includes windows along much of the west side of the building, overlooking the river, as well as the east side of the building, facing the quad, and on a portion of the south side.
Site work for the project is expected to begin this spring, with construction expected to take 14-18 months. The planning board’s resolution requires that 鶹 not propose or construct any additional parking or buildings in the green space north or east of the existing tennis courts for the next five years.