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Nice Touch

Cushioning comes into play for these hard-court award-winners.

By Peter Francesconi

There were four outdoor hard-court winners (not including residential projects) of the Racquet Sports Industry/American Sports Builders Association 2006 Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards.

But what’s interesting about these winners is that three of the four listed their projects as “cushioned” hard courts, which could indicate that court facility owners are looking for more forgiving surfaces for their players.

In fact, two facilities, Ace Insurance Company in Bermuda and the Lombard St. Reservoir/Alice Marble Tennis Complex in San Francisco, used prefabricated “sheet” products to give owners the desired cushioning. Both of these projects also were constructed over other structures. The Ace Insurance court was an upgrade on top of a parking garage deck, and the Alice Marble complex, complete with four courts, a practice court, and a basketball court, was new construction built on top of a city water reservoir.

The acrylic hard court at the USPTA Headquarters in Houston also is an upgrade; it’s converted from a clay court to a post-tensioned concrete court with a cushioned surface.

The four-court complex at Person High School in Roxboro, N.C., is a new project, complete with lights, player seating, shaded areas, and spectator viewing areas. Construction required extensive rock removal, including blasting holes for four of the light poles, and building concrete swales for drainage.

USPTA World Headquarters

Houston
(Nominated by Dobbs Tennis Courts Inc., Austin, Texas)
Number of Courts: 1
Specialty Contractor: Dobbs Tennis Courts Inc.
Surface: Sportmaster CushionMaster System
Fencing: Dobbs Tennis Courts Inc.

Ace Insurance Company

Hamilton, Bermuda
(Nominated by Classic Turf Co., Woodbury, Conn.)
Number of Courts: 1
General Contractor: Bermuda Project Managers Ltd., Hamilton
Specialty Contractor: Classic Turf Co.
Surface: 8mm Classic Turf Tennis Court System
Net, Net Posts: Lee Tennis

Lombard St. Reservoir/Alice Marble Tennis Complex

San Francisco
(Nominated by Vintage Contractors Inc., San Francisco)
Number of Courts: 4
Architect/Engineer: San Francisco Department of Public Works, Landscape Architecture Section
General Contractor: Proven Management
Specialty Contractor: Vintage Contractors Inc.
Surface: Premier Court/Plexipave
Fencing: Vintage Contractors Inc.
Nets, Net Posts, Fence: Fraser Edwards Co.

Person High School

Roxboro, N.C.
(Nominated by Court One, Youngsville, N.C.)
Number of Courts: 4
General Contractor: Court One
Surface: Advanced Polymer Technology
Net Posts, Center Strap Anchors: Ball Products
Nets, Center Straps: J.A. Cissel
Lighting: LSI Industries
Windscreens: M Putterman

For details on the 2007 Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or info@sportsbuilders.org.

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.

From the February 2007 issue
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