From large community parks to tiny green spaces, successful modern outdoor spaces seamlessly integrate with their surroundings and are accessible, welcoming environments—just like any other structure should be.
The days of assembling a few picnic tables in an open lawn and calling it a “park” are behind us. Below, we explore a few outdoor construction projects we’ve completed that demonstrate how thoughtful outdoor construction can change communities for the better.
Vistas Community Park – Las Vegas, Nevada
Vistas Community Park serves the growing population of Summerlin, a master-planned community at the western edge of Las Vegas near Red Rock Canyon. It’s a 93,359-square-foot park complete with a pool, two baseball / softball diamonds, a football field, a playground, basketball and tennis courts and walking paths throughout.
The park also features a 7,848-square-foot community building that houses a community room, meeting spaces and a kitchen.
The challenge of this job was to make this huge park as accessible as possible by integrating it into the community that surrounds it. Here’s how that took shape:
- The park’s network of walking paths seamlessly connects to existing city sidewalks along Parkside Way, Park Vista Drive and Alta Drive.
- Buildings within the park mimic the architectural look and feel of the upscale homes in the adjacent neighborhoods.
- The park features plenty of “green” space with lawns, shrubs and trees. But the plants were chosen with sustainability in mind. These drought-friendly varieties ensure the park balances natural beauty with Southern Nevada’s natural scarcity of water.
Inspirada ‘Solista’ Park – Henderson, Nevada
Twenty miles away, Solista Park serves residents of the Inspirada community within the city of Henderson. The 5-acre park draws from the “new urbanism” planning concept featuring a diverse offering of amenities that attract all members of the community, not just a few. Amenities include a shaded children’s play area, running paths, two swimming pools, outdoor barbecue grills, picnic areas and bocce courts.
Solista is a great example of community integration. Our designers took a long, narrow patch of land tucked between two neighborhoods and turned it into a magnetic space that’s done more than just enhance quality of life: The small pet supply store and coffee shop near the center of the park prove that local commerce and recreation can work together to transform subdivisions into true communities.
Youth Sports Complex – Ft. Hood, Texas
The new Youth Sports Complex we built at Ft. Hood is another great example of a multi-use space geared toward a wider portion of its community. The U.S. Army’s department of Morale, Welfare and Recreation recognized the need for an outdoor space that catered to the needs of the residents of all ages who call Ft. Hood home.
Four tournament-level softball fields, each including bleacher seating for 600 spectators, are the focal point of the complex. The fields are built around a central 2,304-square-foot, two-story fieldhouse. In addition, paved walking paths connect the fields to open-air pavilions, and a running track rings the complex.
Calumet New Tech High School sports complex renovation – Gary, Indiana
When we were chosen to upgrade outdoor athletic facilities at Calumet New Tech High School, our job was simple but critically important: Provide improved facilities for the school’s outdoor athletic teams while also creating a safe space that brought the school, local organizations and the community together.
On the athletic front, the school’s football field was upgraded to include synthetic turf, a video display board, stadium lighting and a renovated grandstand. Tennis courts were resurfaced with new bathrooms installed nearby. The baseball and softball fields were updated with improved drainage, new scoreboards, press boxes, bullpens and batting cages.
The renovation also included a new community building. The school’s intent with the building was to provide a safe, inviting space it could share with outside groups while strengthening the bonds between the school community and its neighbors.
Outdoor construction experts
As communities take quality of life more seriously, outdoor construction companies are stepping up their game to build outdoor spaces that remain useful and relevant for generations.
The Korte Company has been on the leading edge of the trend, building outdoor spaces across the U.S. that incorporate the latest theories, techniques and materials to enhance quality of life for as many people as possible.
Doing the most good at the best value is our mission on every job. You can learn about other key qualities we think set us apart by reading our guide to company culture in construction. And if you’re ready to discuss an upcoming outdoor construction project, we should talk.
