Engineers Country Club in Roslyn Harbor approved the sale of the century-old lodge Monday, making it the latest in a string of Long Island country clubs to be put on the market.
The board of directors voted to sell the club’s assets—including its 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, pool and clubhouse—to RXR Realty Investments Inc., the largest commercial real estate owner on LI, which plans to keep the club open but signaled that it plans to develop part of the 210-acre property.
“The board will now proceed with the negotiation and execution of a Purchase and Sale Agreement and the closing of the transaction,” the country club’s board said Tuesday in a letter to members obtained by the Press.
The news comes five months after Weiss Properties and 2020 Acquisitions purchased the 109-year-old Woodmere Club in Woodmere. The new owners of that golf course plan to build luxury housing on the property after renovating the club to boost membership.
“The Woodmere Club for several years, like many golf clubs across the country, has experienced a shrinking membership,” said Woodmere Club President John Wiener. “This sale is our solution to sustain the club in its current form without sacrificing service and amenities.”
In addition, the 125-acre Cedarbrook Club in Old Brookville was put up for sale in 2015, the 107-acre Woodcrest Country Club in Muttontown sold for $19 million in ’10 and the North Shore Country Club in Glen Head purchased for $12.5 million in ‘09. Also in negotiations for sale and partial development is the 168-acre Cold Spring Country Club that adjoins Oheka Castle.
The Engineers Country Club initially told members of their financial troubles in a July newsletter. The club then hired country club sales consultant Dennis Hiller, who put it on the market. After 31 expressions of interest, 18 signed non-disclosure agreements, nine tours of property and three letters of intent, an undisclosed offer was made by RXR, according to club correspondence.
“It is RXR’s intention to operate ECC as a full service county club, including golf, tennis, pool and food and beverage services,” the club said in another letter to its members.
But RXR requested extension on closing once it “learned that the property it intended to build on was in the Village of Roslyn Harbor,” which recently instituted a moratorium on subdivisions, the club told members. The sale is expected to close on Nov. 1.
Neither the club nor representatives for RXR immediately responded to requests for comment.
