McCullough, Goldberger & Staudt, LLP Helps Mercy University Secure Approval for New Campus Field House

Mercy University has received approval from the Irvington Planning Board to construct a new campus field house. The approved project features a 26,140-square-foot facility, designed to enhance student life with indoor sports courts, a walking track, and a new community quad.

Our team at McCullough, Goldberger & Staudt, LLP, led by Partner Seth Mandelbaum, successfully navigated complex environmental and zoning requirements—including SEQRA review and Variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals—to bring this vibrant community hub to life.

Construction is slated to begin this spring, marking a major step forward for both the University and the Irvington community.

“We are very excited about the new field house at Mercy University. The field house is going to include indoor tennis courts, a basketball court, and a walking track above the courts on a mezzanine level with sweeping views of the Hudson River. This field house will be a vital place for Mercy University students for years to come,” said Seth Mandelbaum, the firm’s managing partner.

Read more about the new field house in the Rivertowns Dispatch here and below.

Rivertowns Dispatch: Mercy gets go-ahead to build campus field house

Julian Caldwell

February 13, 2026

IRVINGTON — Mercy University’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 Mercy University 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 Mercy University 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.