Author Topic: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015  (Read 49588 times)

Offline Editor

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2017, 12:27:10 AM »
I am sad to the OFC go.

Bob, thanks for documenting, risking life and limb on the library roof.

Those backhoes/wreckers are pretty damn impressive. :o

Offline johnny g

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #16 on: May 01, 2017, 08:25:50 AM »
Am I the only one here who never set foot in the OFC?

Offline Editor

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #17 on: May 01, 2017, 09:16:38 AM »
I was only there during the bitter end.  I saw the last person swimming in the Olympic pool, a dusty baby grand piano in a worn-out dance hall and a dimly lit abandoned bowling alley in the basement. While empty, it felt a little like "The Shining" or "There Will Be Blood" (bowling alley scene). In better times, maybe "The Great Gatsby" or "Dirty Dancing".

The Hackensack Fire Department managed to save this for posterity. (Thanks Chris).   

I was thinking we could hang it in the M&M Building once renovated.  Any other suggestions?

 

 

Offline BLeafe

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #18 on: May 01, 2017, 12:10:00 PM »
Am I the only one here who never set foot in the OFC?

I never did either.

I wish I had the opportunity to document the interior at the bitter end.
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Offline Editor

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #19 on: May 01, 2017, 12:30:15 PM »
I may have some more pictures.  I'll look.

Offline Skipx219

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #20 on: May 01, 2017, 02:06:40 PM »
When I was 15 years old...I set bowling Pins in that basement ally.

Offline irons35

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #21 on: May 01, 2017, 08:46:58 PM »
i forgot to try and salvage the bowling alleys...

Offline Editor

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #22 on: May 01, 2017, 09:48:55 PM »
I think I was there in August of 2015.  I went to have an Alliance board member sign some checks.  He was an OFC member and enjoying what was likely his last swim in the Club's large outdoor swimming pool. He worked locally and went for a swim every morning.  (I'm sorry I didn't take any pictures of the pool.) We lamented the Club's closing, the end of an era, etc. He told me to take a look around inside but to hurry because they were about to close up.  So, these are really just quick snapshots.  I had hoped I'd have another opportunity to better document the place but this will have to do.  You'll see some places where water got in.  The real dilapidation was upstairs which, I'm told, had been closed for decades. 

The old stone home out back was used as a shed for lawn equipment. Also known as an "outkitchen", it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  I had reached out to a number of public and private organizations to try to relocate it, to no avail. Will try to post more on that later. 

The "Yearly High Average" sign was in the bowling alley.

(I see now that the piano I mentioned above was an upright, not a baby grand). 
« Last Edit: May 01, 2017, 10:30:46 PM by Editor »



Offline BLeafe

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #25 on: May 28, 2017, 10:12:46 PM »
These articles make it sound like the building that just got demolished is the original building from 1887.

There's no mention that the original building was located where the YMCA is now and the property went down to the river. The recently-deceased building came about almost 40 years later.

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Offline BLeafe

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Re: Oritani Field Club sold - closes in 2015
« Reply #26 on: May 29, 2017, 01:30:02 PM »
I found this headline in today's Record. I took the pictures yesterday.

See any apartments?


Click to enlarge.



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