Lost Battalion Hall Reopens After $25.9M Renovation - 1
NYC Mayors Office
The renovated Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center in Rego Park, Queens, reopened following a $25.9 million reconstruction that upgraded its basketball court, fitness facilities, accessibility features and building infrastructure.
Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center has reopened in Rego Park, Queens, following a $25.9 million reconstruction of the historic neighborhood facility. The improvements include renovated weightlifting, spin and fitness rooms, new exercise equipment, an updated basketball court and redesigned entrances and restrooms to improve accessibility. The project also upgraded fire protection, heating, cooling and other essential building systems. Built in 1939, Lost Battalion Hall originally served veterans before becoming an NYC Parks recreation center in 1960. The facility was once used by the New York Knicks for practices and helped develop local basketball talent, including former NBA player Kenny Smith. It also houses a historic Works Progress Administration mural commemorating its veterans' heritage.
Mayor Mamdani Reopens Queens’ Lost Battalion Hall Following $25.9 Million Reconstruction
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura today announced the reopening of Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center in Rego Park, Queens, following a $25.9 million, top-to-bottom reconstruction that brings this historic neighborhood center into the 21st century.
The project delivers a more accessible and modern recreation center for Queens families, with a redesigned entrance and lobby, refurbished fitness spaces, updated restrooms, a newly painted basketball court, new equipment and upgraded safety and building systems.
“Every New Yorker should feel proud of their public spaces. Today, we’re reopening Lost Battalion Hall just in time for the weather to cool down and New Yorkers to head indoors to continue playing their favorite sports all winter long,” said Mayor Mamdani. “With new equipment, accessibility improvements and safety upgrades, Lost Battalion Hall will be even more welcoming to New Yorkers. Whether you’re here to shoot hoops, work out or hang out, this is your recreation center.”
“For years, Lost Battalion Hall has been the place where Queens families come to work out, shoot hoops and spend time with their neighbors, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome everyone back,” said Parks Commissioner Shimamura. “This project improved just about every corner of the building. It’s safer, easier to get around and more comfortable no matter the season. We’re grateful to the Mayor’s Office, the Borough President and the City Council for investing in this center, and to the community for their patience while the work got done.”
A Queens institution, renewed
Lost Battalion Hall is deeply woven into the history of Queens history and culture. In the 1960s, the New York Knicks used the recreation center as an auxiliary practice facility. Over the decades, it has nurtured generations of local basketball talent, including Queens native and former NBA player Kenny “The Jet” Smith.
The building is also home to one of the last surviving Works Progress Administration murals on Parks property. The mural celebrates the building’s origins as a Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) hall and remains a reminder of the center’s long history of serving the community.
The reconstruction refurbished the center’s weightlifting area, spin room and fitness room and equipped each space with new equipment. Lockers and storage areas were also upgraded to make the facility easier to navigate and better suited to a wide range of activities.
Accessibility was a central part of the project. The building now has accessible restrooms on every floor, as well as wider and safer routes throughout the facility. The project added doors at the front entrance, relocated and enclosed the stairways near the entrance, rebuilt existing staircases and added a new staircase on the east side of the building.
Restrooms on the first and second floors were redesigned to be fully accessible, with new stalls and fixtures. A former storage room was converted into accessible restrooms, while bathrooms that were too small to accommodate wheelchair users were converted into changing rooms.
The project also delivered major upgrades to the building’s safety and infrastructure. Lost Battalion Hall now has a new fire alarm and sprinkler system, a new rooftop generator and a new water line. New water heaters will improve energy efficiency while a new heating and cooling system will keep the lobby comfortable year-round.
“Rego Park children and families have long deserved high-quality recreation space to call their own, especially in a community that glaringly lacks sizeable parks or playgrounds. But we are delivering exactly that this massive refurbishment of Lost Battalion Hall, which has been the anchor of this neighborhood for generations,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “Ensuring our neighbors have safe spaces that support our physical and mental wellness is a top priority of my administration, and the reimagined Lost Battalion Hall is a major component of that mission. I hope all Rego Park families enjoy this space to the fullest, whether you're coming to hit the court, hit the weights or hang out with friends.”
“The Lost Battalion Hall has become a staple in Queens for 87 years. It is where neighbors come together, where kids can stay active, where seniors can socialize and where people of all ages and backgrounds can unwind. And now, with these renovations, we have a facility that's better equipped to serve the community here for generations to come,” said Council Member James F. Gennaro. “I'm thrilled to see Lost Battalion Hall getting a new lease on life – especially after such a long wait! Congratulations to everyone who helped turn this project into a reality!”
"I am happy to see the return of Lost Battalion Hall, as this investment means so much to families,” said Assemblywoman Larinda C. Hooks. “Access to and investment in youth recreation centers should be a prevalent concern. It is important that every community should have at least one recreation center for young people to enjoy as a safe space to congregate and have fun. It is equally as important that we invest in these type of centers as we continue to look for ways to combat gang and gun violence. Providing alternatives must come first.”
“I’ve always had a soft spot for Lost Battalion Hall, and while it’s just outside my district, I know how much it means to so many families in our community,” said Council Member Phil Wong. “I’m glad to see this historic Queens landmark finally reopen with the improvements it deserves, and I look forward to seeing generations of Queens families continue to enjoy it.”
A history public service
Lost Battalion Hall was constructed in 1939 after the Works Progress Administration appropriated $100,000 for a two-story, 36,000-square-foot facility with a firing range and drill hall for the Queens VFW and American Legion.
The City placed the property under Parks jurisdiction on Dec. 6, 1960, and Parks subsequently transformed the building into a recreation center, including a gymnasium with basketball courts.
The center takes its name from the famous “Lost Battalion” of World War I: more than 500 soldiers from the U.S. Army’s 77th Division, many of them New Yorkers, who were cut off and surrounded by German forces in France’s Argonne Forest in October 1918. The soldiers held their position for nearly a week until reinforcements arrived, and their courage became one of the most enduring stories of the war.
Source: NYC Mayor's Office
