Pickleball Courts Revitalize Forgotten Lot Beneath the Brooklyn Bridge

CityPickle is bringing its signature pickleball experience to one of New York City’s most iconic locations.

The brand announced plans to revitalize the Brooklyn Anchorage Plaza, a 60,000-square-foot area beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, transforming it into a vibrant public space known as CityPickle Brooklyn Bridge.

For the first time in over 15 years, the location, which spans nearly two football fields worth of space, will be available to the public for sports, recreation, and, most importantly, pickleball.

Once complete, the site—spanning Old Fulton Street Yard, Washington Old Street Yard, and Ash Alley—will feature 11 pickleball courts, green spaces, food trucks, games like chess, and shaded seating areas.

The project was approved through NYC Parks’ 2024 Request for Proposals process, with CityPickle selected as the top-rated proposer. The company has signed a three-year license agreement with three optional one-year extensions.

“For the first time in over 15 years, this space will be fully open to the public,” said NYC Parks First Deputy Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. “The revitalized plaza will be a safe and accessible space for everyone—from pickleball players to casual visitors.”

The courts will operate seasonally, but the plaza’s amenities—including food, games, and arts programming—will be available year-round, promoting inclusivity and economic opportunity.

CityPickle’s co-founders, Mary Cannon and Erica Desai, see the project as a model for how pickleball can enhance urban vitality and well-being. It follows the brand’s success operating 14 courts at Central Park’s Wollman Rink, which has drawn more than 130,000 participants since opening a couple months ago.

Construction on CityPickle Brooklyn Bridge will begin once permits are secured.