New Jersey
Nicol New Jersey ready to play padel, squash and pickleball on this old Fort Monmouth land
Three-minute read
Learn about padel at Padel United in Cresskill NJ: Video
The sport of padel, created in Mexico in 1969, has become more popular in recent years. William Persson, of Fair Lawn, describes the sport.
OCEANPORT — Nicol New Jersey, a racket sports club that offers padel, squash and pickleball under one roof, is just about ready to welcome its first players.
The 20,000-square-foot racket facility, located at the new RiverWalk Center at 850 Oceanport Ave., is expected to have its soft opening this week.
Co-founded by husband and wife team Peter and Jess Nicol, Nicol New Jersey has four indoor pickleball courts, three squash courts and two indoor padel courts. Outdoor pickleball and padel courts are planned as well.
“I grew up playing a number of racket sports,” said Peter Nicol, formerly ranked as the No. 1 squash player in the world. “I played squash and tennis in the same place and it was affordable. It was accessible. It wasn’t a country club.”
The Nicols, who also own Nicol New York City, a squash club in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen, are poised to showcase padel at the Jersey Shore, and give racket sports enthusiasts a place to play squash and indoor pickleball too.
“I love this environment,” said Nicol, who says it reminds him of his upbringing in Scotland. “The whole community went to this place to socialize, to maybe eat a little bit, and to play sports. Kids would come play sports and do their homework and parents would be playing on another court while they hung around.”
Padel, the fastest-growing racket sport in the world, originated in Mexico and uses a solid racket. It’s played in doubles. “It’s the perfect combination between squash and tennis,” said Rodrigo Magalhaes, director of rackets.
There are not many padel courts open to the public. In the Jersey Shore area, they are in private hands, Nicol said.
Besides the racket courts, the facility will have a cafe and bar serving beer, wine, cider and smoothies. Customers can either buy a membership or come and pay to play.
“We want to make it like a community,” Peter Nicol said.
There’s also a Spear clinic inside. Spear, a physical therapy provider, has 55 locations, mostly in New York City and four in New Jersey.
Nicol is the first business to open at RiverWalk Center, the new retail plaza under construction along Oceanport Avenue.
Developer Michael Abboud and his development partner, Chris Ilvento, owner of Ilvento Builders & Developers, are building the $25 million project on 12 acres at Parker’s Creek on the Oceanport side of Fort Monmouth.
“There is such a vibe of strong community here,” Jess Nicol said. “I am so lucky to be here.”
There’s a demand for a place like Nicol New Jersey, Peter Nicol said. The Jersey Shore area has a “huge demographic of racket sports players.”
“There’s tennis clubs and tennis courts everywhere,” he said. “There’s that community who wants to play racket sports.”
Jess Nicol said they are connecting with area schools, including the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, that are interested in using Nicol’s squash courts for their racket programs. They also plan to offer summer programs and camps for young players at all skill levels. Coaching also will play a major role at Nicol New Jersey, Peter Nicol said.
“A big part of our business is our junior program,” Jess Nicol said. “Our ultimate mission is to get more people playing racket sports, but it starts with kids and that is our history, that is really how we built our business.”
David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business, retail, real estate and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for 27 years. He writes APP.com’s What’s Going There column and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Please sign up for his weekly newsletter and join his What’s Going There page on Facebook for updates.
New Jersey
Yellowcard Brings Ocean Avenue to New Jersey’s Own Ocean Avenue
Yellowcard played the Stone Pony Summer Stage on Friday June 12th. It was an astounding set. The band performed nineteen tracks from every era and iteration of the band. It was a special night for anyone who is a fan.
Openers Plain White T’s and New Found Glory also deserve special credit for fitting the bill flawlessly. It was the perfect way to set the stage for the show to come. Both bands have a strong stage presence and were able to captures the crowd’s full attention.
Yellowcard opened with a video of the Paramount stars. They continued their set by playing interlude snippets of other major movies such as “Back To The Future,” “Top Gun,” “The Goonies,” and the “Ghostbusters.” It really felt like we were watching a cinematic experience as well as a concert. The production was second to none. There was even pyro during certain moments of the show.
The band played six tracks off their new album Better Days. This was a huge highlight of the show. Better Days is not only the best Yellowcard album since Ocean Avenue, it’s one of the best pop-punk releases of the decade. The band worked tightly with Travis Barker, Avril Lavigne, and Alkaline Trio to enhance all aspects of the genre. The new tracks warranted even more of a reception than older tracks. We were truly watching a band in their prime.
Overall, Yellowcard are showing us the new heights bands can reach within the pop-punk genre. Their breakup and triumphant return displays to us that anything is possible. Please enjoy our gallery below from photographer Anthony Vito Cosentino.
Plain White T’s
New Found Glory
Yellowcard
All Photos by Anthony Vito Cosentino
New Jersey
Historical marker recognizing Lawnside, New Jersey, to be unveiled Friday
From Camden and Cherry Hill to Trenton and the Jersey Shore, what about life in New Jersey do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know.
The borough of Lawnside in Camden County will be honored with a historical marker from the New Jersey Historical Commission as part of the state’s Black Heritage Trail.
A ceremony unveiling the marker will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at Lawnside Borough Hall on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Road.
Marsharee Wright, aide to Lawnside Mayor Mary Ann Wardlow and long-time resident, said everyone is thrilled about the marker unveiling.
“We’ve invited the entire community and neighboring towns to come share the celebration with us,” Wright said.
Linda Shockley, president of the Lawnside Historical Society, said it’s “an extreme honor” for the borough to be included in the state’s program, especially as Lawnside is amid a year-long celebration of its centennial.
“It really lifts our profile and hopefully more people will understand and know what Lawnside is about and what it means in the nation,” Shockley said.
Lawnside was one of six sites selected in Camden County in 2024, including “The Point,” a historic Black neighborhood in Haddonfield. Its marker was unveiled last June.
During the ceremony, the borough’s history will be showcased, along with the original documents signed by Gov. A. Harry Moore in 1926, which made way for the borough’s creation.
Though there are many Black enclaves in South Jersey, the borough is the state’s only incorporated antebellum Black community. First known as Free Haven, and later Snow Hill, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Peter Mott built a three-floor dwelling in 1844 that was once part of sprawling farmland where he helped slaves escape.
Mott’s house, now owned by the Lawnside Historical Society, serves as an Underground Railroad museum.
New Jersey
Is ICE giving up on Roxbury detention center? NJ leaders laud report
See the Roxbury warehouse scouted by ICE as possible deportation site
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were in Roxbury recently apparently scouting a Rt. 46 warehouse as a possible migrant deportation facility.
Federal officials are considering abandoning plans for a controversial immigration detention facility in Roxbury, New Jersey, according to a June 18 report by The New York Times, prompting local leaders and state officials to declare a victory after months of legal and political opposition.
The proposed facility, a warehouse property purchased to serve as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center, faced intense criticism from local residents, environmental advocates and elected officials who argued the site was unsuitable for housing detainees.
In a joint statement issued Thursday, Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said the Department of Homeland Security appeared to be backing away from the project following legal challenges that halted development.
“Today the New York Times is reporting that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is backing down on its mass detention center in Roxbury,” the statement said. “That is a big win for public safety, for the township of Roxbury, and for New Jersey.”
According to the Times report, the Roxbury facility is one of seven ICE is planning to dispense with by transferring ownership to other federal agencies or selling them.
Opponents argued the warehouse was designed as a logistics facility and lacked the infrastructure necessary to support a large detention center. They also raised concerns about the potential strain on local water and sewage systems and the impact on environmentally sensitive land surrounding the site.
State officials said they joined Roxbury Township in court to challenge the project, contending that federal plans violated local regulations and posed risks to the community.
“DHS’s plans were always illegal,” the statement said. “The Roxbury warehouse is a logistics center fit for packages, not thousands of people.”
Rep. Rob Menendez said in a statement on Thursday: “We are working to confirm reporting that ICE is abandoning its Roxbury warehouse plans, but if true, this would be big news. From day one, we have fought to stop this facility, bringing together thousands of New Jerseyans in opposition. Now we are on the cusp of an important win for our state.”
The detention center was expected to become part of the federal government’s broader immigration enforcement and detention network. However, the project became a flashpoint in New Jersey, drawing opposition from both local officials and residents concerned about public safety, environmental impacts and the facility’s compatibility with surrounding land uses.
Federal officials have not publicly confirmed whether the property will be sold or formally removed from consideration. The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the reported change in plans.
Opponents vowed to continue monitoring the situation until the project is officially terminated.
“This isn’t a partisan issue,” the statement said. “We’re grateful for our partnership with the Roxbury community as we keep DHS’s feet to the fire to ensure this facility is never opened.”
-
Rhode Island6 minutes agoRhode Island to phase out sale of rat poisons under new law
-
South-Carolina9 minutes ago
Texas A&M baseball lands LHP Logan Prisco from South Carolina
-
South Dakota14 minutes ago
SD Lottery Mega Millions, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for June 19, 2026
-
Tennessee21 minutes agoTennessee baseball adds pitcher Ricky Ojeda, UC Irvine transfer
-
Texas24 minutes agoFans erupt as U.S. wins in World Cup and North Texas builds buzz
-
Utah29 minutes agoUnited States is flying at men’s World Cup, and Utah soccer fans are taking note
-
Vermont36 minutes agoVt. communities work to clean up after EF-1 tornadoes strike
-
Washington39 minutes agoIMPD adds third public safety camera along Washington St in three months