NYC’s New 'Field of Dreams' Opens After $11M Makeover

HARLEM, NY — A long-neglected dirt field in Harlem has been transformed into a sprawling multi-sport turf complex — and on Tuesday, Mayor Eric Adams and Yankees legend CC Sabathia cut the ribbon.

The new "Harlem Field of Dreams," located at Brigadier General Charles Young Playground on 143rd Street, replaces the old dust field with a 150,000-square-foot synthetic turf space that can host baseball, softball, soccer, football and lacrosse.

The project cost $11 million and was funded through a mix of public and private partners, including law enforcement asset forfeiture funds and contributions from Sabathia’s PitCCh In Foundation, Major League Baseball, the NFL Foundation, and others.

"This project gives hundreds of families a safe place to send their children and a space for them to grow," Adams said at the opening.

Upgrades include new drainage, fencing, backstops, dugouts, benches and drinking fountains. The city also plans to offer free youth sports programming on the field through its Saturday Night Lights program, which provides evening athletic activities aimed at violence prevention and community-building.

The overhaul builds on a series of improvements made to the park last year, including resurfaced basketball courts and the addition of a small soccer pitch. A $2.5 million renovation of the field house bathrooms is still to come.

Sabathia, who has been active in youth sports philanthropy, called the new field "a space that represents opportunity, resilience, and community."

The playground — named for Brigadier General Charles Young, a groundbreaking Black military leader born into slavery — sits next to the historic 369th Regiment Armory, home of the Harlem Hellfighters. Officials said the renovated field honors that legacy while giving young people a safe, modern place to play.

"New York has become my second home, and I’m honored to help build brighter futures right here," Sabathia said.

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