How this Reno, Nev., club has made the transition from semi-private “development amenity” to full-service country club.
Master-planned developments are almost like miniature—or sometimes not so miniature—cities in their own right. Housing and recreation (usually in the form of one or many golf courses) are the cornerstones, with restaurants, shopping plazas and even schools often included in the mix.
ArrowCreek is one such community. Created by Terrabrook, a residential and commercial land development company, ArrowCreek rests on over 1,500 acres of Reno, Nevada’s finest terrain. With the city’s skyline below and clear mountain views, the community has carved out a niche for itself. And, as if the location weren’t enough to draw people into the community, there are two private championship golf courses—the Legend Course designed by Arnold Palmer and the Challenge Course designed by Fuzzy Zoeller and John Harbottle III—and a newly renovated clubhouse to accompany both. Rounding out the community is a Resident’s Club with pools and a spa, basketball and tennis courts, and fitness facilities. There is even an elementary school and private academy (grades 6-12) just outside the fully staffed, 24-hour gatehouse.
A Natural Progression
When the ArrowCreek community was in the earlier stages of development, the golf courses and clubhouse were only semi-private. One course was private and the other was public, and all golfers were afforded equal use of the clubhouse. While the intent was always to eventually turn the club over to its members, it didn’t make sense to start out that way, as Terrabrook needed a non-exclusive amenity to attract buyers for the custom houses and lots.
Even before membership became full, however, a critical level was reached. The clubhouse was not able to accommodate the full extent of member usage needs, and the contemporary-leaning décor became a sore spot among members. The club had also made the transition from semi-private to fully private, and the members wanted a clubhouse that offered a higher level of service and reflected that change.
Terrabrook asked CCI to handle the much-needed addition and redesign, and Chuck Berberich, Vice President of Architecture at CCI, faced the task head on as project manager.
The Transformation
There were two overarching project goals. The first was to stay true to the club’s original design and use of natural elements. The second was to maximize the views from inside the club. CCI was able to accommodate both of these needs while doubling the space, to a total of 24,000 square feet.
The original design of two octagons conjoined by an entryway and foyer was retained, and additional space was added to the north and south. To the right of the entrance, the octagon that once was the bar and the restaurant was turned into a new fine dining room. Previously, fine dining was set up in an area near the entrance that had originally been planned as a living room. Some of the tables were situated close to the front door, which had no airlock. Even with a fireplace, chilly desert air and the limited, 800-sq. ft. area made for less than ideal and comfortable fine dining conditions.
Now, however, a new dining area has been added north of the octagon, next to the existing kitchen. This new area can either be closed off to accommodate private parties, or opened up to serve as additional seating for the main dining area during busy times or banquets.
The octagon to the left of the entrance, formerly the golf shop, became the casual dining area and bar. Beyond that, farther to the south, is where most of the additional square footage was added. Extending from the octagon is roughly 8,000 sq. ft. of new space accommodating the men’s and women’s locker rooms, new golf shop and administrative offices.
To best display the scenery that lies beyond the club walls, large windows were installed. When the building was first constructed, aluminum storefront windows were used. These have been traded out for wood frames with a homier feel.
In the new men’s locker room, windows were added above the lockers, where ceilings range up to 16 feet high in some areas. It’s possible to view the tops of the Tahoe Mountains, but privacy isn’t sacrificed, because of the windows’ height.
True Colors
“The previous design was fairly contemporary and the members had complained about it,” says Berberich. “We toned it back a bit and used a more neutral color palette to soften the inside look and make it a more comfortable place that was more like a member’s home.”
Natural materials and finishes were used throughout to complement the club’s mountain location. Stained wood millwork beams highlight the octagonal layout of the two dining areas. Stone fireplaces are trimmed with rough-sawn wood mantels. And slate makes a statement on the locker room floors, where it is accompanied by raised wood-panel lockers, granite counter tops and oil-rubbed bronze hardware.
Country English reproduction furniture was selected to emphasize the “clubby atmosphere” that the members requested. Natural fiber fabrics and leather were used for upholstery. Unique chandeliers and sconces with foliage motifs further set the tone for this nature-surrounded club. They hang prominently in the octagon and elsewhere in the club, and their construction is highlighted by rusted iron, alabaster and rawhide.
Still Tweaking?
The ArrowCreek members were given a chance to offer input on the design, even though it is not yet a member-owned club. Their most vocal request was for an even greater amount of banquet space than was provided in the new design. Expansion to the west would have been the best option, but ultimately the presence of an earthquake fault, despite being more or less inactive, stood in the way. The cost to accommodate the fault was considered prohibitive at the time, and the extra space was foregone.
In the end, Dean Menante, Vice President of ArrowCreek, learned a lot about the building process through the project. “It’s always truly amazing how you can give people certain criteria and see the ideas they come back with,” he says.
Project Profile
Club: Arrow Creek Country Club
Location: Reno, Nevada
Design Firm: CCI Solutions
Cost: $2.8 million on construction, plus $800,000 on furniture and fixtures
Timing: September 2003 to April 2004
Project Highlights:
• Doubled size from 12,000 to 24,000 sq. ft.
• Replaced prior contemporary design with natural materials and neutral colors
• Upgraded facilities to better reflect the club’s new status as fully private
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.