The last place many people would expect to find the famed London Bridge is Lake Havasu, Ariz. But that’s where it is.
In 1967, a millionaire named Robert McCulloch purchased the landmark and announced plans to move it to the southwestern U.S.—a decision that undoubtedly raised eyebrows. Today, the structure is one of Arizona’s most notable attractions.
So it doesn’t seem unusual, in comparison, to think of a driving range or sports complex built on the site of a former landfill, a railroad yard or even a series of piers. In some markets, it actually makes perfect sense.
There simply isn’t enough “fresh” land in some localities, so range developers are becoming more creative. Golf facilities and sports complexes are taking root in places that previously may not have seemed practical, or even possible.
Three facilities in particular—Harborside International Golf Center, Mission Bay Golf Center and Chelsea Piers—demonstrate that clever land use can serve as the basis for a successful range or sports complex, while also helping to capture the character of a community.
From Trash to Treasure
Harborside International Golf Center, located just minutes south of Chicago, sits directly atop an abandoned construction rubble landfill. The property that once featured 500 acres of steel, cement and rebar now boasts 36 holes of championship golf and a 57-acre driving range.
When the landfill reached capacity several years ago, the Illinois International Port District (IIPD) had a decision to make.
“They could either let it sit there for decades being a useless piece of property, or they could do something with it,” says Terry O’Neill, head pro at Harborside. “When they looked at it, a golf facility made perfect sense. IIPD already owned the property, and it was a great location right on I-94, the main feeder into and out of Chicago.”
As with any construction project, the first step was to obtain the necessary approvals and permits. Since the IIPD is an independent municipality, and the land was not designated for any particular use, zoning was a non-issue. Nor did the developers need to obtain any special permits from the city of Chicago, according to a spokesman for IIPD.
However, state regulations called for developers to place a “cap” on the landfill, consisting of one foot of clay and additional topsoil material. The clay, dredged from a lake already on the property, was an important soil amendment to prevent run-off into Lake Michigan.
And, since part of the landfill contained sanitary materials, developers had to obtain approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Once the permits were in place, construction began. “There were no major snags,” according to O’Neill. “They did a lot of planning, so they knew what they were getting into. They did studies on what to do and what the costs would be.”
In fact, the designers turned the unique nature of the project to their advantage. “They used the rubble to create the contours of the golf course,” explains O’Neill. “That’s unique. This area is flat as a pancake, and they were able to add man-made moguls.”
The sheer size of the property allowed developers to create a facility with a great deal of breathing room. The range at Harborside measures nearly 400 yards in depth. It features a natural bent grass tee box that covers more than two acres and has enough room to accommodate 70 golfers. Artificial turf mats are available for those who prefer not to hit off the grass. Seven target greens challenge golfers to aim for the flag from a variety of distances, but rough and bunkers wait to swallow errant shots. And when golfers are done warming up, they can head to the first tee on either of the two 18-hole championship golf courses at the facility.
“What a great re-use of land,” adds O’Neill. “People in the area were saying what an eyesore it had been for years. They wondered if it was going to look that way forever. Then, here they come and build a range and a championship golf course for [the public] to use. They created something beautiful—and created jobs. People love it.”
Through creative land use, Harborside’s developers also managed to capture a little bit of the character of the Chicagoland area. Although the facility is several miles south of the city, the moguls make it possible to see the skyline from seven or eight of the holes on each course. As soon as golfers forget they are near the city, Harborside gives them a majestic reminder.
“I liken it to Disney World,” says O’Neill. “You’re driving around Orlando in flat swampland, and all of a sudden, there’s the Magic Kingdom. That’s kind of like the south side of Chicago.”
Hittin’ on the Dock of the Bay Mission Bay Golf Center in San Francisco rests on an old railroad storage lot just a few minutes from the city’s downtown area. The property that once housed heavy industrial equipment and supplies is now the site of a seven-acre family entertainment center, something San Francisco lacked prior to Mission Bay’s opening.
In the early ’90s, a plan was in place that called for residential, industrial and commercial development in the area. Mike Myers and Jack Scott, Mission Bay’s general partners, leased the current location from an affiliate of Southern Pacific Railroad and began to take the necessary steps for opening the range. In 1991, the partners raised money, put together proposals and filed for approval from the city of San Francisco.
Scott was a general contractor by trade, and his expertise made the approval process considerably easier than it might have otherwise been. The partners needed only zoning authorization and a building permit from the city and county of San Francisco, both of which Scott was able to secure easily for the project.
The only real challenge the partners faced was the condition of the soil. Because the rail yard had been used for industrial storage, toxins were a concern. “We were unable to excavate any of the soil for fear that it would have been declared toxic,” recalls Scott. “Remediation of toxic soil—if there was any—would have been too expensive.”
If toxins were present, EPA would likely get involved in the project, creating more permit requirements and delays. But in order to build and irrigate the facility, the partners had to be able to excavate the soil.
So they found other means. “We brought in 300,000 cubic yards of ‘clean’ dirt as opposed to excavating what was native,” says Scott. “Then we excavated in the clean soil. That alleviated the problem.” It has since been determined that the soil is not toxic, but the partners didn’t want to take that chance.
Once the soil issue was resolved, construction “went about as smooth as any project can go,” Scott recalls. “Everyone in all of the [governmental] departments was eager to have us up and running as quickly as possible. We went from inception to completion in about eight months.”
The range at Mission bay features 66 tee stations on two tiers. Each tee is fully covered, and lighted for nighttime play. The entire length of the landing area is lined with 100-foot tall barrier netting. Shorter netting guards the rear of the range, but the 275-yard-long range can contain the shots of most golfers.
A 3,000-square-foot clubhouse is home to the administrative offices, pro shop and a golf outlet store. Mission Bay also has a free-standing restaurant building on the property that is leased to a family chain.
The public has been extremely supportive of Mission Bay, says Scott. “Every bit of reaction has been positive—we were building a low-cost family entertainment center that didn’t exist in San Francisco to that point. We have improved the neighborhood. We’ve added sidewalks, lights and restaurants. It has been well received by the golfing community as well as the public.”
Since its opening in 1992, Mission Bay has become an integral part of its community. In addition to serving as a recreational gathering spot for the residents of San Francisco, Mission Bay provides space and practice facilities to local high school golf teams and the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco.
Pier Pressure Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment in New York City doesn’t rest on a landfill, a rail yard or any other unusual tract of land—in fact, it barely rests on land at all. Chelsea Piers stretches out almost 900 feet over the Hudson River, on Manhattan’s West Side. The facility is situated on four piers, 59 through 62, and in the headhouse that connects them.
Once a major part of the glorious age of trans-Atlantic sea voyages, these piers served as the home dock to such famous vessels as Lusitania and Mauretania. Even Titanic was destined for Chelsea Piers when it met its tragic fate in April of 1912.
But years of inactivity left the piers in horrid condition, and the New York State Department of Transportation had them slated for demolition—until Roland Betts got an idea. Betts was frustrated with the limited opportunities for his daughter to ice skate in the city, and began to look for a parcel of land to build his own rink. When a friend suggested he investigate Chealsea Piers, he got more than he bargained for.
Betts liked the location on Pier 61 and believed the 100,000-square-foot space was ideal. But the Department of Transportation wanted to sell the entire 1.7 million feet of space stretching from Pier 59 to Pier 62. Betts brought in two fellow entrepreneurs—David Tewksbury and Tom Bernstein—and purchased the property.
But before construction of rink and range could begin, the partners needed approval from the New York state government as well as city council. And, since the Hudson is a federal waterway, stamps of approval also were needed from the federal government.
All in all, the owners found they needed more than 25 permits and approvals. The approval process, which began in 1992, finally concluded in 1994 when the last of the permits was issued. In August 1995, Chelsea Piers began to open its doors to the public, one venue at a time.
The driving range at Chelsea Piers is unlike any other in America. In the spirit of Japanese ranges, it features 52 heated and weather-protected stalls on four levels, stacked high above Pier 59. An automatic tee system transports and tees the balls for golfers.
The 200-yard-long range is entirely covered in artificial turf and offers four target greens. Barrier netting towers over the pier on three sides and covers the entire length of the ceiling. The third level is reserved for an on-site Golf Academy that offers schools, clinics and private instruction. The Golf Center at Chelsea Piers also features a practice sand bunker, a chipping green and a putting green.
In addition to the golf club, Chelsea Piers offers a number of entertainment venues including a sports and fitness center, a field house, a bowling alley, a maritime center, ice skating rinks, roller rinks, retail shops, restaurants, television studios, a brewpub and more.
New Yorkers were admittedly skeptical at first, but they have come to embrace Chelsea Piers as an important part of their community. Tourists also flock to this unusual facility for an entertainment experience in a true New York style. In fact, Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment is among the top-three most visited places in the city, rivaled only by Madison Square Garden and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Diamonds in the Rough Range owners and developers across the country are turning discarded property into golfing gems, creating sources of community pride where once there was only indifference. To some people, it may seem strange to place a golf facility on a landfill, a railroad yard or a pier. But to many driving range developers, such locations present a prime opportunity for success. And when it comes to attracting attention, it never hurts to be unique.
Just ask Robert McCulloch. He will tell you the London Bridge is right at home in Arizona.
Phillip Gravely is a contributing writer for Golf Range Times.
