This summer, a new family-friendly causal sports complex will open in the former Lumberyard Bike Park at 2700 NE 82nd Avenue. The People’s Courts is a recreation destination featuring eleven pickleball courts, ten corn hole stations, ten ping pong tables, and five indoor bocci courts. Patrons will have access to two restaurants on the property, serving pizza and grilled foods along with various other menu items.

AMF built the 50,000-square-foot building in the early 1960s as a multilane bowling alley. Dave Schrott and his partners purchased the building in 2011 as an investment property and leased the space to the Lumberyard Bike Park, who transformed the space into an indoor and outdoor BMX practice track. That business closed after a decade in operation, presenting the property owners an opportunity to reimagine the space. Instead of seeking a new tenant for this location, Dave Schrott, Robert Sacks, and Dave Sacks decided to pursue a passion project centered around a shared enthusiasm for pickleball.

Workers will construct five pickleball courts inside the building, with the remaining six outside. Three shade structures next to the outdoor courts provide covering for seating. The interior arrangement will have some flexibility, adjusting to customer demand for particular games. All the games center around a theme of group play on a court. The business’s name originated from that concept. “It’s kind of a play on words because all of our games are, you know, court-based,” explained Schrott. He sees The People’s Courts as a return to the building’s bowling alley past, where all ages can gather together and participate in approachable sports.

This project is a shift for the partners. Most of their work centers on development. They were the original owners of the Ace Hotel in Downtown Portland and are involved with Coopers Hall on SE 6th Avenue. “Our primary business is real estate and property development. We mostly do adaptive reuse of older buildings.” Said, Schrott. Although this is another reuse project, it is more personal for them and leans heavily on their interests. The partners are excited to share this vision of family-friendly entertainment with the community. They plan to work with neighboring McDaniel High School, seeing an opportunity to engage those students in constructive after-school activities.

Currently, crews are preparing part of the parking lot for the new outdoor pickleball courts and other amenities. Work inside the building will continue over the next few months in time for a summer opening. They intend to operate seven days a week with daytime hours that stretch into the evenings.

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