Teaneck Armory - History

History

The facility was completed in 1936 at a cost of $1 million. It was designed by Louis S. Kaplan (1896–1964), who as a young architect won a competition to design the Trenton War Memorial and after its dedication became the leading state architect until the early 1960s, designing or adapting many of its armories.

From 1967–68, the arena was the home of the New Jersey Americans of the American Basketball Association, the team that later became today's Brooklyn Nets. In 1968, the Americans were forced to forfeit a playoff game against the Kentucky Colonels because a circus group had rented the space that week and the alternate location selected for the game, Commack Arena, had a playing floor in such poor condition that it was ruled to be was unplayable.

In 1997, the armory was renovated to an arena designed for indoor soccer known as the Soccer Coliseum.

Over the years the expansive floor and high-ceilinged space has been used for numerous film shoots, including Sweet and Lowdown, You've Got Mail, Bogus, and Stonewall. The armory has also hosted concerts, rallies (including a November 6, 1960 campaign rally by presidential candidate John F. Kennedy), circuses, indoor soccer and various military uses. It has also been used for ceremonies and celebrations commemorating Eid ul-Adha.