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Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards: Private Enterprise

These residential winners are great examples of tennis-court construction.

By Peter Francesconi

In 2014, the panel of judges for the Tennis Industry/American Sports Builders Association picked out three residential courts as winners in the Distinguished Facility-of-the-Year Awards. One, a private court in Newton, Mass., was singled out for “outstanding” honors. That new, all-weather cushioned acrylic court — surrounded by a custom-designed fence of Western red cedar — was honored with the other outstanding award-winners in our February issue. The other two “distinguished” award winners for 2014 are both in Florida, and both were built by the same company.

The owner for the Fort Lauderdale residence court chose a synthetic clay surface with a HydroBlend infill, which requires less maintenance and water than typical clay courts (the court is conventionally irrigated). The property is nearly surrounded by water, so due to the court’s proximity to the water table, the court required a thickened concrete slab because of possible unstable soils. Natural retention swales are used for storm-water management. Vinyl-coated fencing, which is lower at the sides and includes angled corners, complete the award-winning package.

The new residential court in Palm Beach County, which also has a basketball hoop at one end, is a cushioned system over an asphalt base. The owner wanted the court to feel open, so the solution was to use open mesh netting for the “fencing,” affixed to imported custom marble columns. The netting is white high-tenacity polypropylene knotless netting with a white sewn rope border, with high-quality marine-grade cable tensioning mechanisms on the top. The construction site was extremely busy, with other contractors performing other jobs on the property, so the court contractor had to juggle schedules and deliveries, but the final product proved a winner.

Fort Lauderdale Residence

(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)

Architect/Engineer/Specialty Contractor: Fast-Dry Courts Inc.

Surface: Har-Tru Sports (ClayTech Membrane, HydroBlend Clay)

Court Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts Inc. & 10-S Tennis Supply

Fencing: Fast-Dry Courts Inc.

Palm Beach County Residence

(Nominated by Fast-Dry Courts Inc.)

Architect/Engineer/Specialty Contractor: Fast-Dry Courts Inc.

Surface: Laykold

Court Accessories: Fast-Dry Courts Inc. & 10-S Tennis Supply

Fencing: Fast-Dry Courts Inc.

For details on the 2015 Outstanding Facility-of-the-Year Awards, contact the ASBA at 866-501-ASBA or info@sportsbuilders.org, or visit sportsbuilders.org.

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.

From the June 2015 issue
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