New York City FC announce plans for new training facility

MLS team, New York City FC (NYCFC), have announced that work on a new, permanent training facility will commence later this year.

Located on a 17-acre site in Orangeburg, New York, the facility will be the centre of NYCFC’s footballing operations. The plans consist of one and a half regulation-sized grass fields, as well as a 25,000sqft building, housing the team offices, space for player rehabilitation and welfare, amongst other amenities.

Designed by Rafael Viñoly, the architect responsible for Manchester City FC and Melbourne City FC’s City Football Academy facilities, NYCFC’s new training facility in Rockland County is due to be completed in early 2018.

Vice-Chairman of New York City FC, Marty Edelman, said of the plans:

New York City FC is proud to announce a new, permanent training facility for our first team in Orangeburg.

Although we are still a young club, today marks an important milestone in our long term growth.

Sporting Director, Claudio Reyna, agrees that the new announcement represents a significant moment in the young history of NYCFC.

Reyna told NYCFC.com:

Our new elite training facility in Orangeburg is a significant step forward in the evolution of our Club, marking our first permanent home for the team.

We have secured a location in a fantastic area of New York where our players and staff will come together on a daily basis to continue to work hard and grow as a team.

Through our relationship with City Football Group, we are part of a global network of soccer knowledge – the fact that this facility is going to be designed, built and operated in line with the Group, who have been recognized for their expertise in this field, offers great benefits for NYCFC.

For Head Coach Patrick Vieira, this permanent base will help to further enhance team spirit and give a solid platform to the squad for ongoing success in the years to come. He commented:

It’s really exciting. I strongly believe that as a young football club it’s extremely important to have our home facility where players can feel really comfortable.

It will have a massive impact on our everyday basics, the way we’re going to train, to live, to build our team spirit.

Jon Patricof, President of New York City FC, thanked the citizens of Orangeburg for their enthusiastic cooperation in the acquisition of the site and underlined the Club’s commitment to engaging the soccer community in the town for years to come. He commented:

Orangeburg is well known as a community that is welcoming to soccer and we appreciate the support we have already received from the town.

Everyone at New York City FC is incredibly excited about becoming part of the soccer community here.

Beginning in May, we participated in the town’s four-month review process to seek public input on the site plan and design, ensuring that the development would be in line with the surrounding area.

We are committed to continued engagement with the communities in which we reside, following the example that City Football Group has set in our sister-clubs in Manchester and Melbourne.

In line with NYCFC’s community approach, the Club will make a donation for program and facility improvements to youth affiliate World Class FC (OMM Soccer), based in Orangeburg.

Andy Stewart, Supervisor, Town of Orangetown, said of the project:

I’m pleased that New York City FC chose to open its practice facility in Orangetown, which will further our development plans and have a positive influence on our town.

Orangetown is passionate about soccer and the arrival of New York City FC makes us extremely proud.

Approval for building on this former STEJ site on Old Orangeburg Road, which has been vacant and unused for more than a decade, was given in July 2016 by the Orangeburg Planning Board.