San Jose Country Club announced that owner-members approved a $9 million clubwide renovation to begin in June to upgrade the facilities at the almost 72-year-old private club.
It is one of the first private country clubs in Jacksonville and is based at 7529 San Jose Blvd.
The three-phase project is scheduled for completion in April 2021.
“This is the culmination of a project that has been five years in the making,” said Don Poag, chairman of the club’s strategic planning committee, in a news release.
Members approved a monthly assessment charge to finance the renovations, the club said.
“It’s a resounding statement of our membership that they are ready to commit to making San Jose the best it can be,” said club President Steve Hodgett.
Rocky Staples is general manager and chief operating officer.
Michelle Pollina, director of marketing and membership services, said the club comprises almost 900 members. All contribute to the project on a sliding scale, depending on their membership category.
The strategic planning committee developed the project plans and will oversee construction.
Auld & White Constructors LLC will be the general contractor with assistance from original San Jose clubhouse architect Ken Smith.
The first phase will start in June and is expected to be completed in late October, the club said.
Limited food service will be available during construction.
Construction will begin with renovations to the existing member dining rooms and create one larger, central member dining area.
A horseshoe-shaped bar will be the focus of the new room. There will be dedicated areas for family and adult casual dining, a soft seating area for socializing, and a built-in millwork buffet.
According to the release, the bar and dining will extend outdoors with seating for more than 100 diners in a covered patio area with heaters, misters and fire pits.
Private banquet rooms will be updated and refreshed, a wine storage and display area added, and interior corridors opened to the dining areas.
The release said the lobby and adjacent outdoor courtyards will be upgraded to become more functional for social events and gatherings.
The kitchen will be redesigned for greater efficiency and storage.
The club said other areas of the clubhouse also will be refreshed.
The club partnered with Chambers, a planning, architecture and design firm that specializes in private clubs, for the master plan, including design and oversight.
The second phase of the project in May-October 2020 will be the 18-hole golf course, said the release.
Grass will be replaced, greens will be resurfaced and contoured, tees will be laser-leveled, and hole No. 5 will be re-designed.
Drainage, lake bank and bulkhead projects will be completed, and cart paths will be graded and replaced with aggregate.
On-course restrooms and landscaping will be updated.
Members will have reciprocal arrangements with other local clubs during the renovation period while the golf course is closed.
The final phase begins in September 2020 after swim season and includes renovation of the fitness-tennis building to add a year-round casual dining facility with indoor and outdoor seating to replace the existing seasonal snack bar, according to the release.
A multipurpose fitness room will be added, and the fitness and tennis locker rooms will be consolidated to larger rooms for women and men.
The club said the baby pool area will be replaced with a more hygienic splash pad, and the pool deck area will be refreshed.
Four pickleball courts will join the existing 12 Har-Tru tennis courts. Additional upgrades are being planned.
The final phase is scheduled for completion in April 2021.
San Jose Country Club was founded in 1947 with a championship golf course designed by Donald Ross in 1925; 12 Har-Tru tennis courts, with 10 lit for night play; a modern fitness facility with a swimming pool and award-winning swim team; and a clubhouse with member dining and a social calendar.
The club will celebrate its 72nd birthday April 16 with a lunch honoring its longest standing members, including some with continuous membership since 1947.
