Boca Voice: Why They’re Keeping It Fresh in Boca West

By Marci Shatzman

Published in Boca Voice

Boca West Country Club just announced a $45 million plan for new construction of an aquatics center and expanding and refreshing the sports complex. On the list are four new pools, casual dining with golf course views, added fitness studios and more.

“When we built the new golf building in 2017, our usage from membership went up 30%,” said Matthew Linderman, president and COO. “Trends have changed in fitness and wellness, so we’re growing the fitness center. Newness. Keeping it fresh and vibrant.”

Linderman expects minimal disruption to their 6,000 members in 3,500 homes who were not assessed for the improvements, he added. Resales figure into this, too. “We had record home sales for the last few years,” he said about their range of housing including, condos, townhouses, villas and estate homes. “Right now, there’s a lot of renovation going on.”

Boca West is mandatory membership, so all sales require membership in the country club. They’re not 55 plus, but “our sweet spot is 55 and active adults,” he added.

The work will start in the spring and be completed by November 2022. “We were supposed to start this summer on the country club social clubhouse and Mr. D’s,” he said about one of the restaurants. “But we held off because of Covid. We’re finalizing with designers.”

Lindeman anticipates minimal shutdowns, and won’t have to member-guest through other country club communities during construction. “We have three complexes, unlike other country clubs that have to go through another facility,” he said. “It’s a two-story building, so we can still operate our fitness center.

“The members won’t be affected until the summertime 2022 when we will build a two-story lobby to the Lifestyle and Racquet Center building and a new lounge with a rooftop terrace overlooking the golf course,” he added.  “With Mr. D’s renovation, we will be putting in bays, so members will be able to have lunch, appetizers and hit balls, since the restaurant is next to the driving range.”

Here’s most of their plans:

• Aquatics Center: four-lane lap pool; family pool with zero entry; adult pool with submerged loungers; teaching pool; kids’ pool with splash pad; landscaped pool deck; splash pool bar and grill; alfresco restaurant and bar overlooking pools and golf course; bath house with showers and lockers; multipurpose event space; two activity lawns
• Lifestyle and Racquet Center: adding several movement studios; spa relaxation courtyard; an outdoor rooftop bar and terrace overlooking golf course; Grab-N-Go Market Café with courtyard for dining; adult game room and updated billiards room; new two-story lobby, valet entrance with three-lane porte cochere
• Dining changes: My Pi Restaurant new bar with expanded dining; open-concept kitchen including sushi and pizza bar; Onyx Bar enlarged with outdoor rooftop terrace; Mr. D’s 19th Hole Restaurant refurbished and enhanced with indoor and outdoor dining with a louvered roof.