The field house will occupy this site (The New York Times)

Brooklyn bikers received a treat to the tune of $40 million dollars!

Joshua Rechnitz, a cyclist and the grandson of New York philanthropists, pledged a $40 million dollar gift to the city to build a field house in the Brooklyn Bridge Park, The New York Times reported.

The field house is set to be massive project (15,000 square feet!) with an indoor, inclined cycling track with up to 2,500 seats and a 22,000-square-foot infield for sports like basketball, tennis, volleyball and gymnastics.

The project isn't entirely funded—it remains tens of millions of dollars away–but the donation stands as a huge strep in the right direction and the largest donation to any New York City park or recreational facility. The gift is double that of the previous $20 million donation, given last year to the High Line Park by Barry Diller and designer wife Diane von Furstenberg, The Times noted.

"I am thrilled at the magnitude and generosity of this gift, which would invigorate the park in the winter months and provide much-needed active recreation space for youth all over the borough on a year-round basis," Regina Myer, the president of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation, told The Times.

Alas, nothing in life is free, and the park will charge for use of the field house. But Mr. Rechnitz has agreed to cover any shortages in operating revenue for the first ten years.

Time to gear up, Brooklyn! We just hope that noted bicycle-hater Woody Allen doesn't catch wind of this scheme.

mewing@observer.com