Club Renovations: Building a Future for Tomorrow

Catering to Today’s Member 

The modern club member’s schedule is busy, filled with activities like attending meetings, shuttling kids from music les- sons and soccer practice or simply join- ing friends for dinner. Parents spend much of their time multitasking and increasingly expect superior service in a relaxed and family-friendly environment, says Lichten Craig Architecture and Interiors, “With demanding personal and professional schedules, a facility where a members can enjoy their very limited downtime and one that can accommodate their active families year- round is highly valued.”

Today’s members “want to know that they are spending their hard-earned money on unique, worthwhile experiences. They want lively spaces, interesting programming and resort-like settings … they welcome restoration efforts and want a fresh take on tradition,” points out Lichten Craig.

Given these responsibilities, clubs are becoming more versatile and adaptable, offering a wide range of new programs and amenities to their dynamic memberships. Now more than ever, clubs are ensuring each square foot of their facilities gives members a reason to return, whether together as a family, or individually, but each member enjoying a different aspect of the club.

To stay relevant to the modern member, clubs must undergo renovations—at least one major facility improvement every 10-year cycle, says McMahon Group—the timeline most members will support. Much more than that will turn members off, as they do not want to see their club in a continual state of construction.

Dining: The Club’s Social Center

Some of the most value can be found in renovating the dining facilities. Across the board, the surveyed architects agreed that the dining experience has become a focal point for renovations, emphasizing that social and casual din- ing is trending more than formal dining. The “new” club member has a “desire for a destination restaurant dining venue … ‘not your grandfather’s dining room,’” says Judd Brown Designs / Jefferson Group Architects (JBD / JGA).

JBD / JGA adds that the new club restaurant strays from the dated “casual versus formal” model. “The new model is family versus adult, both a hybrid of casual and sophisticated, each with subtle differences setting them apart from each other. Both are to be located such that neither group feels estranged from the community and having the flexibility for crossover use when the need arises.”

The chef, too, is increasingly becoming the star at the club, according to Lichten Craig. More chefs are now the face of the club dining experience, coming from behind the counter to interact with members and guests. Involving the chef in the dining experience personalizes the experience—thus many dining renovations are incorporating chef’s tables, open “chef exhibition kitchens,” wood ovens and spaces for activities like wine tastings and cooking classes.

Rooftop Renovations

Lichten Craig suggests that not only are clubs looking for new indoor dining areas but outdoor ones as well, particularly rooftops at many urban clubs as these clubs search for creative ways to upgrade their limited spaces.

The Chicago Club has added a rooftop terrace and lounge designed by Gary Lee Partners, which provides an additional 3,000 square feet of space with views of Grant Park and the lakefront. Opened in June 2014, the new space has already energized club members to spend additional time at the club during the traditionally slow summer months. (See case study)

Other city clubs that have added rooftop terraces and bars include the Metropolitan club of N.Y., the Knickerbocker Club and the Harvard Club in New York City.

The Club Bar

“New bar lounge areas anchored by innovative and inspirational designs are also white hot at clubs,” says Tom Hoch Plan | Design | Build. These social spaces bring energy and revenue to clubs. Also, wine cellars with cozy, private dining rooms showcase extensive wine collections in vintage environments.

“A great bar anchors the room,” says JBD / JGA. It can emphasize the casual, yet upscale nature of a new club restau- rant in which a member can sit and enjoy his or her meal at the bar—another new trend—while being able to socialize.

Resort-Style Pools

The pool area is a key area for renovations. “These upgrades sit at the top of the wish list in membership surveys and fit in with members’ desires for a ‘stay-cation,’ allowing them to experience their vacation expectations at their own club,” says JBD/JGA (See case study on page 17.)

Pool facilities are becoming akin to water parks offering a variety of fun and leisure activities for all members. According to Tom Hoch most new pool designs include a fun pool, lap pool, diving pool, splash pad, waterfall, tube slide, water sprays and buckets, shaded toddler pools and shallow tanning pools.

Renovated pools also provide more than swimming and playing for mem- bers. Adding poolside amenities like a snack bar can provide clubs with more revenue streams. “Water is a great backdrop for social enjoyment and entertainment. Small resort-style snack bars, open-air pavilions as well as dedicated outdoor bars complete a resort experience for members,” says Hoch. “For many clubs, these new amenities give reason to expand the pool social season beyond the typical Memorial Day to Labor Day window.”

Flexible Facilities

Multipurpose facilities are another growing trend at private clubs. Their flexible nature addresses member lifestyles and keeps facilities operational during off peak hours, yielding larger returns on the investment. As clubs scramble to add square footage, it is important to maximize the space already in use. Tom Hoch raises the issue, “We know how a space functions on Saturday night, but clubs have six other days for revenue generation that are often overlooked or ignored.” Ballrooms have taken part in the versatility trend, now capable of hosting many events using moveable walls to divide the room.

But, clubs do not need to have moveable walls in their facilities, just a way to offer a space for several purposes. Tom Hoch emphasizes synergy between club facilities, noting that indoor golf, video arcades and even bowling alleys can be paired with a cool and convenient bar, making these spaces an exciting and relevant venue for everything from birthday parties to adult indoor playgrounds.

In harmony with flexible facilities, 
clubs, particularly urban ones, are using “stacked programs,” hosting multiple functions simultaneously to cater to a variety of members from children to adults, says Lichten Craig. The firm adds that a kids’ event may take place in the ballroom while parents relax in the dining room. The Tokyo American Club offers two soundproofed music rooms— one with a free-to-use piano—to provide families with the opportunity to practice or learn music at the club. Gearing club activities toward children and young adults helps serve as a retention practice as well, giving them positive club experiences from an early age.

Technology

Technology has helped carve and define the way people communicate and conduct business with one another. Smart phones and readily available Internet access have become ubiquitous and woven into members’ everyday lives. Although clubs by nature have restricted onsite access to these advancements, many are breaking the mold to accommodate today’s technologically driven member.

As technology rapidly evolves, so has the use for business centers. Once filled with carrels, printers and computers, business centers are designed to be more open, with room to charge laptops and iPads and access to Wi-Fi. At the Harvard Club in New York City, the library provides a “technology refuge” with chairs running alongside one wall designated for cell phone conversations, which are for- bidden elsewhere in the club. 

Sophisticated Luxury

In their overnight rooms, clubs are making sure to upgrade amenities to rival their commercial lodging. “Traveling club members expect the same amenities at the club as the luxury hotels at which they stay,” says Lichten Craig. “Even freshly pressed linens can make a member feel he or she is at a four star hotel.” The firm suggests that guest rooms have become more than a place to rest during travel. They have evolved from dorm-like settings to a high-end business environment fit for the modern member, equipped with desks, adequate seating for meetings and Wi-Fi.

Health & Wellness Centers

As more and more members place a focus on health and wellness, new opportunities for clubs have arisen. Such accommodations can be relatively simple. For instance, club fitness centers may create rooms with multiple functions, such as yoga, Pilates, cardio and other activities. Others can be more complex providing an array of health and wellness treatments, says WTS International, a leading leisure firm, adding that today’s club spa may offer anything from pampering to pain management—from indulgent facials to pain relieving massages. Some fitness centers recruit local health care professionals to provide physical therapy, nutritional counseling or educate members on various wellness topics.

Because of this, many clubs now stray from the word, “gym” as it does not encompass the new capabilities of the modern fitness center. And with intense competition from the commercial fitness industry, having a multipurpose fitness facility is vital for increasing member visits.

Wellness factors into the family-friendly component of clubs as well. A relaxed family-oriented environment raises quality of life, and offering child-specific classes and amenities allows parents to feel at ease when taking care of their own needs, says WTS.

Out with (some of) the Old

Many clubs have a rich heritage which members hold dear, giving architects and general managers the additional challenge of creating a new space while preserving the club’s history. All of our surveyed architects and designers agreed that this blend was vital to successful renovations. Respondents from Lichten Craig note, “a successful club values a diversified membership and offers something for everyone. It is you, family and senior-centric. It embraces a new generation without turning its back on its aging members.”

There are many creative ways to renovate while maintaining the facility’s character. For an interior renovation at the North Jersey Country Club, JBD / JGA reused the original pecky Cyprus ceiling planks from the members’ dining room and repurposed them as trim and wainscoting in the new grille room. Tom Hoch describes a renovation in which the firm installed new HD TV’s in a historic room and played classic films for balance. McMahon Group suggests blending new building trends like sustainability with dominant architectural features that reflect the original facility. Lichten Craig also cites examples of making “green” renovations—designing environmentally friendly spaces while maintaining their historic charm.

Many firms request original photos of the rooms to be renovated. According to JBD/JGA, analyzing these photos “have enabled us to reintroduce arched door- ways where they had been replaced over the years and uncover original wall and ceiling finishes and bring them back to near original quality,” he says, making it important for clubs to work with the design team to ensure that the original style is honored.

The Chicago Club restored an original fountain and brickwork from a 1920s terrace—long since unused—when it renovated its rooftop space recently.

Wrap up

Private clubs are capital-intensive entities. The right facilities are crucial in order to provide the types of programs and services that draw members to the club. They send a signal to the community about your mission and they create a sense of pride and enjoyment among the members. Says McMahon Group, “With the relative ease of raising capital today, we are seeing clubs reinvesting in facilities at a record pace. And these clubs are getting the results they desire: increased usage and expanded memberships.”

Phillip Mike is NCA’s Communications Manager. He can be reached at [email protected].

TOP 10 RENOVATION TRENDS

The list below illustrates some of the top renovation trends in the club industry based on NCA’s interviews. They serve as a guide for clubs to consider as they develop their longterm plans.

1. Family-Friendly Facilities. Many private clubs are becoming family clubs. Tween rooms, casual dining, “stacked” programming, state-of-the-art swimming pools and other child-friendly facilities give parents new opportunities to come to the club with their children.

2. Dining Room Renovations. Dining renovations can generate more than a 25 percent ROI and give members an area to socialize, relax and enjoy a meal as a family. New, casual yet sophisticated environments make dining areas the club’s “social hub,” and may include adjacent pubs or bars, exhibition kitchens and wood stoves.

3. Health and Wellness Centers. Today’s member is focused on health and wellness. Clubs are responding with fitness facilities, spas and wellness programs to meet this new demand.

4. Rooftop Terraces. Clubs want to offer unique and interesting places for members to socialize. Urban clubs are optimizing their square footage by renovating their rooftops with new terraces, bars and rooftop dining—providing spectacular new venues to gather and to hold special events.

5. Multipurpose Facilities. Ballrooms with moveable walls can accommodate a wide variety of daily activities, business centers can host breakfast or lunch service while diners enjoy Wi-Fi, and fitness centers can offer a variety of classes and workout areas. Effective planning help clubs find creative ways to ensure each square foot of their grounds brings value to the member.

6. Technology Updates. As more members look to stay “connected,” many clubs are including technology upgrades during renovations. Club-wide Wi-Fi, video conferencing, charging stations and “technology refuges” are being worked into the plans.

7. Resort-Style Pools. Members want a “stay-cation” experience at the club—upscale treatment in a relaxed environment. Renovated pools more closely resemble water parks or luxury resorts. Splash pads, waterslides along with adjacent grassy areas and snack bars give the entire family a reason to spend time and increase revenue.

8. Bars, Pubs and Adult Spaces. Clubs are designing new adult spaces with a bar or pub becoming the focal point of many renovations. As a social hub, the look and feel is reflecting the history, culture and personality of the club. This renovation addition enhances members’ satisfaction and club utilization, as well as creating a viable revenue source.

9. Outdoor Spaces. Pavilions, outdoor casual dining, gathering spaces around a fire pit and kid-friendly spaces on the club grounds are all providing new ways for members to relax and socialize. Recreational activities such as paddle tennis, pickleball and driving ranges are also being incorporated into renovations.

10. Combining Old with New. Architects and clubs are finding ways to preserve clubs’ storied traditions while modernizing facilities. Renovated spaces can merge characteristics of the old design with new, high-tech and “green” amenities.

Case Study #1

THE CHICAGO CLUB’S ROOFTOP RENOVATION

Earlier this year, The Chicago Club unveiled its scenic rooftop dining area as part of its long- term plan to boost membership and increase summer revenue and member functions. Prior to the renovation, the rooftop was left relatively untouched for years, equipped with an aged pantry, dumb waiter and fountain, but after nine months of construction, the urban club’s rooftop has become a hub for members.

The planning process began back in 2006, but due to the recession, The Chicago Club delayed initial plans until 2011 and didn’t begin construction until 2013. Along with the rooftop’s renovation, the club relocated the HVAC system, chillers and cooling tower; modernized its elevator (as well as added two new lifts); and reinforced upper floors and other infrastructure. The club used this opportunity to renovate some of the banquet and function rooms on the upper floors as well. Completing multiple projects at once kept costs in line and expedited these projects. According to General Manager Frank Stover, the project finished on time and only slightly over budget (1.5 percent).

Communication was critical before and during the renovation. More than 100 meetings between the club, contractor and architect Gary Lee Partners took place over two years, including six special membership meetings to ensure that members were informed about all aspects of the renovation and had the opportunity to provide comments and feedback.

Construction was typically done during off hours and weekends to avoid interruption for members, and functions were relocated to other floors while renovations were completed on the 8th floor meeting rooms.

The new seasonal rooftop dining area efficiently utilizes the available space and provides stunning views of the lakefront and Grant Park. The terrace can host up to 200 people for cocktail par- ties, and accommodates 90 people for dining. A zinc canopy covers 40 percent of the roof area, providing shade during the summer while heaters and a fireplace will keep members warm during cooler months. A weekly jazz trio provides entertainment for the bar and lounge areas. Blending the old with the new, the club restored brickwork and an original fountain installed on the rooftop in the 1920s.

A new terrace kitchen serves casual cuisine and jackets and ties are no longer mandatory for this area of the club. According to Stover, member usage of the rooftop dining and lounge areas has been stronger than expected. “Our summer months are typically slow, but almost instantly, lunch and dinnertime service more than doubled,” says Stover. “Members love this space—reservations fill up quickly.”

Case Study #2

RESORT-STYLE POOL AMENITIES AT FIDDLER’S ELBOW COUNTRY CLUB

In June 2014, Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, N.J., opened a new resort-style pool facility that offers fun for the entire family. Originally a corporate club, in 2011, Fiddler’s Elbow sought to create amenities to attract families and energize current members.

Club leaders worked closely with Judd Brown Design to create a concept that would add excitement and attract new members. The pool facility hosts amenities for children and adults who both have their own sections. In the children’s area, two aquatic playgrounds for ages up to six and twelve respectively provide entertainment along with eight spray features, a double slide, zero entry activity pool, grassy area and other child-friendly features.

The adults can be found enjoying a six-lane 25-meter pool and two diving wells in their own section, as well as relaxing by the sprays and fountain or resting in the shallow pool’s seating area.

A full-service, health-focused kitchen anchors the facility with indoor seating for more than 60 people and an outdoor dining area that can accommodate 180 individuals. If members want to stay poolside, food and beverage services are available as they relax on any of the complex’s 200 lounge chairs.

Fiddler’s Elbow has made the most out of its new pool facility, hosting concerts, luaus, Friday night family swims and a mix of other adult, family and kid’s special events. Although the facility is still new, the club’s general manager, Thomas Hurley, says the pool has already made a large impact at Fiddler’s Elbow. During construction, member excitement gave prospective members another reason to join, and Hurley plans to keep the pool area in operation year-round.

Like the Chicago Club, Fiddler’s Elbow saw the project as an opportunity to address other areas for improvement such as renovating the club’s grill room, outdoor kitchen and main dining room. They also added a new driving range with 60 bays and a short game area and have started construction on new tennis and platform tennis courts for a spring 2015 opening.

With the new and upcoming renovations, Hurley says that Fiddler’s Elbow is a “premiere club with something for everyone. I recently heard a member refer to our ‘new’ club as ‘my happy place.’ I love that!”

SIDEBAR:

Facility Planning: A Roadmap for ROI

General managers and boards should have a strategic planning process to help them understand the club’s direction and the facilities needed to get there before undertaking a renovation project, says Judd Brown Designs / Jefferson Group Architects, Inc. (JBD /JGA). Although club leaders may recognize areas for improvement, McMahon Group points out that these suggestions must be confirmed by membership. Communicating construction plans from start to finish with members is imperative for a successful renovation campaign. (See Merion Golf Club case study in “Point of View.”)

Clubs must listen and search for consensus, maintaining a strong pulse on their members through surveys, open discussion and employing focus groups to gauge their inter- est and support for new projects. Though the opinions of long-term members are important, it is critical for clubs to listen to their newest members as they have a fresh take on the facilities and represent the long-term future.

One way to approach renovations is finding and building around your club’s “energy hub”— the place where members enjoy gathering— and allowing them to funnel out into adjacent areas, says Tom Hoch. This could mean expanding the bar area, but it’s important that these plans align with the club’s overall goals. For instance if a club is searching for younger family members, then focusing on tennis, family dining and pools as these “hubs” may make more sense. Tying together activities with goals and creating a “flow” will help bond your membership and encourage current members to invite their friends to join your club.

Plans must also fit in with the scheme of the entire facility. Too often renovations are poorly planned and add winding labyrinth-like hall- ways that create confusion for members and result in underutilized rooms, says Tom Hoch.

Architects and designers must also be diplomats. Part of the their job is to sift through conflicting voices from the general manager, board and membership. For Lichten Craig, their team lays out what they envision the renovation to be, and next the club GM offers his or her perspective and scrutiny. 
The architects then listen to members and the board and return with a collaborative design for the end product.

During this period, the architecture team provides a valuable outsider’s perspective that allows the firm to “speak openly without offending friends” says Lichten Craig. This objectivity discourages club politics from entering the discussion and helps clubs make sound decisions.

Key Steps for Success

Once a path has been decided, McMahon Group works with the club planning commit- tee to develop a concept plan and funding program for presentation to the members. This program not only addresses the materials and labor needed to complete the project, but also the many issues that clubs must communicate to members.

In almost every clubhouse renovation project, a major consideration is proper phasing of the program. Renovation programs are phased for a number of purposes, not the least of which is to afford members the ability to continue to use their clubhouse—albeit in a limited manner—throughout the renovation project. Naturally, financing and budget limitations also force clubs to phase project plans.

According to JBD /JGA, most often a phased approach to project construction considers several factors:

• Logical project progression – let’s not undo what we just did
• Cost effectiveness – keeping the con- tractors fees to a minimum
• Budgetary constraints – how much can we afford at a time
• Member inconvenience – total disruption for a limited period or some disruption for a long period

As mentioned, renovations are much more than the physical construction of the facility. Other less apparent costs must be budgeted as well. Leasing trailers and developing alter- native facilities add costs. Clubs may decide to reduce employee hours or furlough workers while the facility is being renovated. Or, clubs may pay to keep employees who 
would not be fully utilized during renovation, yet are still vital to the club’s long-term success, says McMahon Group. Revenues lost from weddings, large events and other occasions that cannot take place must also be accounted for. These can easily reach up to $500,000 and more.

Clubs “don’t have the luxury of just shutting down dining for a year or having members living without some type of locker room facilities during a project,” says McMahon Group, but there are a variety of ways around this obstacle. “Clubs come up with innovative ideas for temporary facilities … Double-wide trailers are outfitted for dining/kitchen/lockers/office areas. Tent structures can be used for year-round dining,” the firm notes.

JBD /JGA recommends similar adjustments. “Temporary barriers, use of rooms for multiple purposes and sometimes the renting of temporary kitchen facilities” can replace the renovated area, they note.

Tom Hoch takes an offsite approach that minimizes interference with club functions by constructing most of the furniture and fixtures offsite, allowing for smaller installation windows. Even for the parts that must be done onsite, Tom Hoch notes that members tend to make accommodations when a major improvement is underway. If the future looks bright, members remain patient with the project, and in fact for the same reason, renovations can add members while under construction.

On one golf course renovation, even after the links closed, the club added 75 members because of current members’ support of the project, says Tom Hoch. Member enthusiasm and ensuring the project goes accordingly within the timeframe are critical for a renovation’s success, as dragging out construction can demoralize membership.

Understanding and planning around member inconvenience is a crucial facet in the strategic process. The workarounds must be discussed and communicated with the club governance, the architect and members. Without adequate communication, members may feel left in the dark.

Are They Worth It?

Renovations are expensive ventures, but forgoing one can be even more costly, says Tom Hoch. For instance, upgraded dining facilities with expanded seating and new menus invigorate members and attract new ones. All surveyed architects agreed that food and beverage sales could bring increased revenues to clubs ranging from 15 percent to upwards of 50 percent. These results are not guaranteed but offer a target goal for dining room renovations.

Renovations are also the single most popular way to attract new members to clubs, and those members offer the best ROI, says McMahon Group, noting that “If a club reenergizes its facilities by providing what new young members want in a club—and our research shows that 75 percent of all new members who join clubs are under 55—the initiation fees and dues generated from this new blood are 100 percent surplus to the club’s finances, and essential for its long term viability.”

Anecdotally, both ends of the revenue stream (dues and member usage) can be enhanced through a renovation while at the same time improving member’s satisfaction/ retention with the club, says JBD /JGA.

Payoffs go beyond ROI. A healthy club- architect relationship can span over a decade, says Lichten Craig—longer than the tenures of some GMs and board members. This gives the architect a deep understanding of your club, its goals and how it operates, and makes future projects that much easier to plan and complete.

A good architect will make regular check- ins with general managers to gauge their experience and success. Are the facilities working properly? Do they need any adjustments? These questions are answered in these meetings and allows the architects to do any additional tweaks to the renovated areas, says Lichten Craig.

Perhaps the best answer to the question, “Are they worth it?” is presented from Tom Hoch: “Foregoing a renovation is a major opportunity cost.”