Rankin Pool takes shape, sports complex pitched

With enough capacity to hold a playing field 100 feet wide and 230 feet long, dozens of batting cages, a pitching practice space and a section for lacrosse drills, the concrete tilt-up building eyed as a potential home for a sports complex offers plenty of room.

The City acquired the building, located at 330 Ferry Street, when it used $11 million in Contra Costa Transportation Authority funding to buy the 6.7 acre parcel known as the Zocchi property, named after the former owner. The strings attached to the money mandates the City must create 425 parking spaces, although City leaders are lobbying to incorporate additional mixed-use development down the road.

Until a decision is reached on the long-term use of the property, several parties have suggested various short-term usages to the City Council, such as Planning Commissioner Rachel Ford’s idea to transform it into a scientific research center. Immediately after the sale went through, Martinez School Board member and Park, Recreation, Marina and Cultural Commission (PRMCC) member John Fuller advocated replicating Chelsea Piers in New York City, 28 acres of waterside warehouses converted into a multi-sports complex.

At Tuesday’s meeting, a three-member team identified as the Universal Sports Academy (USA) pitched their idea to transform the vacant building into a thriving athletic center that will attract participants from around the County. The team cited benefits such as increased visibility and crossover dollars to Martinez merchants, providing a positive and safe environment for local kids and the addition of vitality and vision to the Waterfront Park and Marina, acting as a springboard for future development of the property and surrounding neighborhood.

“The ball is in the City’s court now,” said Skip Ray, a USA principal, on Wednesday, adding that he felt the nine-member Commission received the idea eagerly and supportively. “There was no one negative response, we left 100 percent positive. We’ve had quite a few meetings with City management behind the scenes for the past half a year, and not many buildings fit our needs [like 330 Ferry Street].”

Ray said it took the team “about 20 meetings to get to here.”

The USA team are offering to make all tenant improvements, such as creating ADA access, renovating the exterior and interior, upgrading restrooms, electrical and plumbing reworks and any thing else stipulated by the Fire Marshall.

“It’s a win/win situation for the City, as far as I see it,” said Ray. The team expects to present their plan to the City Council in the next few months, and is currently waiting for direction from City staff.

“Conceptually, the Commission was very impressed how [the USA team] saw the building being used,” said PRMCC chair Dylan Radke after the meeting. “It would be open for various leagues who wanted to rent it, it would really be a attraction to local groups and there is a market out there.”

Radke used the example of his business partner’s son, an avid lacrosse player who must travel to the Bladium Sports and Fitness Center in Alameda to play his games indoor.

“There is not a facility that allowed him to do that in Contra Costa County,” said Radke, explaining that the Bladium is a converted naval base and could serve as a successful business model for the Ferry Street facility.

Radke stressed that the ultimate top priority for the City is to build the parking spaces it promised, but “you can’t build these types of buildings any more,” and it would behoove the City to make optimal use of them, even for the short-term.

Pool Rebuild
The architects currently designing a new municipal pool to be built on the soon-to-be-demolished Rankin Pool site presented their latest drawings to the Commission.

Arch Pac, a company based in the Southern California city of Vista with a portfolio of completed pool renovations that includes the Oak Park Aquatic Complex in Stockton, the Orange Park Natatorium in South San Francisco and the Maritime Academy Pool in Vallejo, is spearheading the reconstruction.

“The pool is really taking form, and the level of detail Arch Pac provides was terrific,” said Radke on Wednesday. “Commissioners were all impressed.”