Remembering What Was There: Oritani Field Club

There's a huge parking garage and apartments where there were until recently tennis courts. The five-story 254-unit apartment building was built on the site of the Oritani Field Club, a historic landmark that was razed to make way for the development.

At one time, the Oritani was at the center of the social and business structure of a Hackensack in its golden era.  There were eight tennis courts, for amateur and pro players alike. There was also a pool, lined with Olympic lanes. And inside, there was rooms to play cards, talk business or socialize. A bar was at hand. It was a place to dine.

When it opened the club extended to the river (before what is the Toyota dealer - then a Cadillac dealership was built), and there was a baseball field and a hill for tobaggining.

Over the years, visitors included Shoeless Joe Jackson, Arthur Ashe, who played tennis there, and Johnny Weismuller, who swam in its pool.

The place was sold to a developer in 2011. It was allowed to stay open until 2015.

Its two-story Colonial Revival building was demolished in 2017, 130 years after it was founded.

Images Courtesy: North Jersey Media, The Sasson Report