Submitted by Lusardi Construction

Construction of the 48,600-sq-ft clubhouse in La Quinta consisted of a men’s building with lockers, lounge, hot-cold plunge and underground cart barn; main building with full kitchen, dining and sushi bar, lounge, theater, and five members’ suites; women’s building with lounge, spa facilities, and fitness center; and all site improvements including Olympic-size pool, spa, and outdoor bar.

One of the major challenges for the $26-million project was the size of the site relative to the footprint and the cutback requirements for the underground level. In order to excavate for the lower levels, the project team was required to sequence the construction of the buildings in order to allow for adequate room for the structural elements to be completed. The team also faced some unique situations regarding the configuration of the buildings and the need to modify and/or create separation to allow for proper movement, which was accomplished during construction through the interaction of the architect and structural engineer.

Most of the innovations revolved around the need to value engineer the project without sacrificing the aesthetics of the project. One of the biggest items was the use of foam shapes and GFRC at the high elevations in lieu of precast. This saved not only time, but also money.

Because of the old world design of the project, craftsmanship and attention to detail were of the utmost importance. This was accomplished on many levels and included precast designs, production of various finish carpentry elements (bars, countertops) in Mexico, along with hand-carved corbels and headers. Subcontractors were chosen based not only on cost, but also on experience on similar projects.

During the course of construction, the owner required the schedule to be extended, and then later accelerated in order to meet their revised opening, which was accomplished ahead of schedule.

Project Team

Developer/Owner: East Of Madison LLC, La Quinta
General Contractor: Lusardi Construction Co., San Marcos
Architect: BAR Architects, San Francisco
Civil Engineer: MCE, Ladera Ranch
Structural Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers, Irvine
MEP Engineer: Axiom Engineers, Monterey