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Special Attention

By Peter Francesconi

As many court builders know, attention to detail can make or break a project. With so much on the line — money, reputation, referrals — the top court construction companies know that they do, indeed, need to sweat the small stuff.

That’s what makes the USTC & TBA’s 2003 Tennis Facility of the Year winner such a great project. Not only did the construction firm, Pro-Sport Construction Inc. of Devon, Pa., sweat the small stuff, but so did the owners of this private residence in Gladwyne, Pa. The result, as you can see, is an attractive and functional marriage of court to house.

“This whole property is new, including the 22,000-square-foot house,” says Mark Brogan, owner and president of Pro-Sport Construction. “The owners were very involved in the entire project.

“The house was designed so that you come out the back into a pool area. We designed the tennis court so that the pool area flowed nicely down the steps into the court, and it provides for viewing from the pool area. We wanted to make it a real integral part of the whole backyard design so that everything matched and didn’t look like an afterthought.”

Brogan’s company, which put in the cushioned acrylic surface from Nova Sports, also worked on the lights (from LSI Courtsider Sports Lighting), brick edging, a channel drain, and a soft netting on one side of the court, among other things. Pro-Sport Construction also put in a storage area under the steps for a ball machine and other equipment.

“The owners didn’t want chain-link fencing; they wanted more of an open-air feeling,” says Brogan. “They had already designed a wall on one side of the court, and they wanted the other side open, which we did with a decorative post and netting design. Now, for large parties, they can remove the post and netting, protect the court, and put a tent over it.”

The township required a water retention basin for drainage, and the owners wanted a raised Belgium block border on one side, the side with the post and netting. Pro-Sport installed a channel drain on that side, then also put in a French drain behind the wall on the other side of the court.

“It’s always nice when people finish up around the court with nice landscaping,” says Brogan. “This was a great job to work on. The attention to detail around this court and property is fantastic.”

Taking the Prize

In addition to the private court in Gladwyne, Pa., these 19 locations were chosen by the 2003 panel of judges for the USTC&TBA as outstanding examples of court construction. You’ll read more about them in upcoming issues of Racquet Sports Industry.

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.

From the February 2004 issue
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