Location: Essex Fells, N.J.
Company: Landscape Techniques
This project began when the clients purchased the property immediately adjacent to their home with a plan to create a sportsplexlike environment.
The clients recruited their longtime contractor, Landscape Techniques, for the project. The team began by demolishing the existing home on the new property and then completely regrading the site to construct regulation tennis and bocce ball courts. The original property had a large depressed retention basin, which had to be drained, have wet soils mucked out and then filled to bring it back to grade. Overall, the site’s wet soils also had to be removed to stabilize hardscape elements.
According to Landscape Techniques President Brian Koribanick, the extensive site work required the use of Caterpillar construction equipment, including a 314 excavator, D3 Cat dozer, mini Cat excavator and a track skid loader. The cabana was constructed on 21 concrete-reinforced piers that were 6 to 10 feet deep, 18 inches in diameter and tied into a 10-foot reinforced slab to support and stabilize structures. The company trucked in 2,800 tons of crushed concrete aggregate to stabilize the wall and backfill the cabana, tennis court and patio areas.
The project earned Landscape Techniques a 2018 Gold Award from the National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence program.
The newly acquired 1-acre property was cleared and renovated to include a cabin, fire pit, tennis and bocce ball courts.
The extensive demolition and grading in progress.
After photos of area complete with cabana and sports courts.
The 12- by 80-foot bocce court is surfaced with crushed oyster shells and surrounded by lush, colorful plantings.
The regulation-sized tennis court was a must for this active family.
Three hundred tons of 4- to 5-foot boulders were used in the construction of retaining walls surrounding the tennis and bocce courts.
A diverse mass of grasses, flowering perennials, roses, hydrangeas and countless other varieties of plant material soften the boulder wall construction.
The upper level landscape terrace provides maximum turf area and perimeter screening.
The cabana was constructed on 21 6- by 10-foot deep, 18-inch wide concrete piers with 8-inch reinforced concrete slab.
The 250,000 BTU fire pit sits within a 2-foot by 2-foot porcelain tile patio, detailed with clay brick matching the home’s facade.
The 1200-square-foot cabana includes full bath and kitchen, storage area, indoor/outdoor shower and TV viewing area.
The newly installed raised patio overlooks the existing pool patio which was installed seven years prior.
Every angle of this yard delivers diversity and interest in both landscape and hardscape construction.
A once-neglected acre of land has been transformed into a private sportsplex in eight months.
