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One on One With Lucas Congdon of Lucas Lagoons

Lucas Lagoons has rapidly become a household name when it comes to resort style pools. We go one on one with owner / founder, Lucas Congdon.

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Recently, Pool Magazine had the opportunity to chat with Lucas Congdon, owner and founder of Lucas Lagoons, a company that specializes in the design and construction of luxury pools and outdoor living spaces. Congdon is also known for his role as the star of the hit TV show Insane Pools, airing on Animal Planet, the DIY Network, and Discovery+.

About Lucas Congdon & Lucas Lagoons

Congdon started Lucas Lagoons in 2002, with the goal of creating one-of-a-kind outdoor living spaces for his clients. Over the years, the company has grown in size and reputation, with Congdon and his team designing and building some of the most extravagant and unique swimming pools and outdoor spaces in the country.

Lucas Congdon - Owner and Founder of Lucas Lagoons and start of the hit TV show Insane Pools
Lucas Congdon – Owner and Founder of Lucas Lagoons and start of the hit TV show Insane Pools

In 2015, Congdon was approached by the Animal Planet network about starring in a new TV show that would showcase his work at Lucas Lagoons. The show, titled “Insane Pools: Off The Deep End”, quickly became a hit, with Congdon and his team traveling all over the country to design and build some of the most amazing and over-the-top swimming pools imaginable.

What sets Insane Pools apart from other home improvement shows is the sheer scale and creativity of the projects that Congdon and his team Lucas Lagoons got to take on. From pools with waterfalls and slides to outdoor kitchens and living spaces, there is no limit to what Congdon and his team can do. Take a deeper dive with us as we go one on one with Lucas Congdon, owner and founder of Lucas Lagoons.

Interview: One on One With Lucas Congdon

PM (Pool Magazine): Is it safe to say that Lucas Lagoons has become kind of a household name by now?

LC (Lucas Congdon): “Yeah, that’s how it feels. Wherever I go, there are always people excited to see me or sometimes I get, where do I know you from? And then I know right away, like. I don’t know them. They’re a fan of the show and it’s flattering. It’s pretty cool. “

“Sometimes it’s one of those awkward moments where you’re like running to catch a flight you’re late for and someone stops you. You don’t want to be rude, so you try to make the time. But yeah, it’s pretty cool to just be able to share my passion and have people recognize that. And it’s obviously really hard to kind of start a company and let people know what you’re about and Insane Pools really helps show people what we’re about and that’s quality and fun and building one-of-a-kind pieces of art you can swim in.”

Lucas Lagoons is known for its incredible resort-style backyards that feature all the bells and whistles.
Lucas Lagoons is known for its incredible resort-style backyards that feature all the bells and whistles.

PM: Did you ever have the thought (I’m going to be a pool celebrity one day), did that ever dawn on you when you first started down this path?

LC: “Well, it’s kind of funny when you’re younger. It’s hard to know what you want to do when you grow up. I always loved the video camera. My aunt and uncle were the first in the family to have a video camera and every time they had it on and jump in front of it and act goofy and do silly stuff. When I started to college, I didn’t know whether I wanted to do like, landscape architecture or film. I got bored with school and just jumped into creating things. It’s cool because both passions ended up coming together. It wasn’t like I had this all planned out. One thing led to another. I just always made videos and loved sharing what I was up to and through YouTube. That’s how it kind of all got kicked off.”

Congdon has become famous for capturing people's imaginations with his backyard lagoon and waterfall creations.
Congdon has become famous for capturing people’s imaginations with his backyard lagoon and waterfall creations.

PM: How did you get started in the industry and what was that path like for you from developing Lucas lagoons to becoming one of the most well-known pool builders in the world?

LC: “Well, I remember back to there was one winter there in Vermont where I was working for my mom doing stone work, and every morning it was like an hour drive to this beautiful home on Lake Champlain, but it was the winter, so we’d have to brush all the snow off the rocks before we started working. My fingers were so cold, and I remember right then and there thinking, I got to find another place to work. Shortly after that, I did a tour around the US with my girlfriend at the time and tried to find a place to move to so I could work year-round. We were kind of torn between California and Florida, but I was a young kid without any money, and California is pretty expensive. So I decided, you know what? Seems like there are the same opportunities in Florida, and it’s a lot cheaper to live there. So we chose Florida. After that kind of one thing led to another, I started doing tree work and some landscaping and then got into some water features. Finally, I had a client that said they wanted to remodel their pool.”

LC: “I knew nothing about pools, but I knew if I did some beautiful rock work like I did growing up in Vermont, around the swimming pool, it would look beautiful. I also had met Crash, who has been on the TV show and with me from the beginning. He had done some pool tile coping, and some remodels. He knew a little bit about it, and I knew about the rock work. So we did our first pool remodel and it came out beautiful. The rest is history. I realized that’s what I love to do and I found my passion. I changed my business name from Earthworks to Lucas Lagoons and said, ‘This is what I want to do’.” I want to build lagoon-style pools, and just kind of took off from there in 2003.”

PM: Congratulations on some of your recent awards. We had a chance to check out some of these projects, and they’re really breathtaking.

LC: “Yeah, it’s hard to keep them all straight. I have a list of some of the most recent awards, but they’re all just so unique and different. And when I first started out, we took the time to submit for a lot of awards. We won within the first couple of years almost 40 awards. Then I got so busy with the show, I didn’t submit Lucas Lagoons for awards for years. Just recently we’ve had some time to start submitting again and it was just awesome to get such great feedback from FSPA and then we also won a Pinnacle Award. It’s just been awesome.”

“Each job is just so uniquely different. We’ve been doing some modern designs, just to show that we’re well rounded and getting awards for those as well. Lucas Lagoons isn’t a one-trick pony. Not only can we do beautiful designs with a lagoon-style pool, but also if someone wants a more fine modern look. We’ve been having fun exploring that style as well and just really enjoy it. We’re always reinventing the wheel and that’s what keeps me interested in doing what we do.”

Congdon and company are known for their over-the-top tropical fantasy pools, waterfalls, and grottos.
Congdon and company are known for their over-the-top tropical fantasy pools, waterfalls, and grottos.

PM: How did you get first involved with doing the show Insane Pools and make the leap from YouTube to TV?

LC: “We got really, really, lucky. We had our YouTube channel and people were finding us through that. Then we had, I guess for lack of better words, just kind of like a talent scout who was looking on YouTube for ideas for a new show and saw what we were doing. He made a sizzle reel and pitched it to a few different networks. The first round nothing happened. The second round was drawn out and was like this multi-year process. So it was really like gut wrenching. You think you’re going to have a show, then you don’t have a show. That kind of back and forth. After a while, I stopped telling people Lucas Lagoons was going to have a show because it was just taking so long, they thought I was just making it up.”

“I just figured I’d just put it out of my mind and whatever was meant to be, was meant to be. Luckily ‘Insane Pools’ all came together and it was definitely a much bigger and harder challenge to do the show than I ever thought it would be. In the end though, well worth it. It really got our name out there and we’re obviously very proud of the show and the pools we did. I can say one thing, it was definitely a huge challenge to try to film the show and still be able to run a business at the same time. Yeah, lots of challenges.”

PM: Can you share that with us? What are some of the challenges of building a pool for a customer that’s going to be on a TV show?

LC: “Everyone thinks that just because you’re on TV, you’re just rich and made of money. That’s the thing with reality TV, they don’t pay you hardly anything because they know that it’s an opportunity for you. So you don’t really get paid much from the show. The clients know you’re going to get advertising for it, so they want a discount and they want something special. A lot of people have seen Extreme Home Makeover where they do things for free. There’s kind of that mentality that maybe they’ll get something for free if they reach out to the show.”

“Here I am, just a small pool business – Lucas Lagoons. I’m a self-started guy, and everyone’s kind of trying to get a deal and I’m just trying to make a living and stay afloat. Back then, I wasn’t famous, so we had small budgets. I knew this was my one shot to show the world what we could do. No matter what budget I got from my clients, I pushed it as far as I could. We gave it all we had and we put our own money and efforts and tried to get deals where we could and tried to make a million dollar look for a couple of hundred thousand dollars. It was definitely very difficult.”

“The first season was really tough because they put low budgets on the pool. I built something worth five times what I was paid. That was season one, I think that was seven years ago now. Obviously with inflation things have gone up. So people see that first season, they think for $150,000, I can build them the pool they saw on TV. Now, that’s our average design fee just to develop these types of massive projects we’re doing. So a lot has changed.”

The price of a luxury lagoon style swimming pool has gone up with inflation, according to Lucas Congdon
The price of a luxury lagoon style swimming pool has gone up with inflation, according to Lucas Congdon

PM: What’s been your favorite part about doing the show?

LC: “I think just being able to connect with so many people that I wouldn’t have connected with before the show, whether it’s homeowners or other people in the industry or kids that have been inspired to be creative and want to work with their hands. These days so many kids are just kind of stuck on devices and disconnected from this kind of hard work and art. So it’s been really cool. Kids have sent me videos of them building their own little ponds in the backyard, or making Lego pools or hand drawings of pools. Just so much fan mail. It’s really cool. I love that I’m inspiring the next generation to be creative and work hard, that’s really rewarding.”

PM: What would your advice be for any homeowner that’s looking to build a luxury resort-style pool like the ones that your firm builds? What’s a good starting point budget-wise?

LC: “On our projects these days, a smaller project starts at around half a million, our average jobs are around a million. We have jobs approaching 10 million. It’s very expensive these days with inflation and just the labor force to build. If someone doesn’t have a huge budget, I would recommend looking into some other options.”

“There are so many different ways of building a pool, right? I mean, if they’re looking for amenities around a pool, you could do a vinyl liner pool or a fiberglass pool and then just do like a nice covered outdoor kitchen hangout area just to have water to jump in and swim in. My first pool experience was an above-ground circular pool my aunt and uncle had, and we used to love playing Marco Polo in that thing as a kid.”

“It’s so easy for people to reach for the moon, but really it doesn’t take something huge and elaborate to be fun. For example, in the beginning, before we had the big budgets, we’d take an old pool and instead of building these massive footers and using pilings to hold up the weight of massive rocks, we would just add use a pond liner and lip it over the edge of the pool and use smaller rocks and build a beautiful waterfall. We’d cut out some planters in the deck, add some lighting. There’s lots of things you can do if you have the ability or the willpower, whether you can do it yourself or find some people to help you.

“My first pool remodel was $35,000, and it was beautiful. Our most expensive project to date is 10 million. So I built everything from $35,000 to $10 million, and no matter what the budget was, in the end, everyone was always just like, this is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I think putting as much care and passion into it, that’s really all it takes. Take whatever budget you have and make it as beautiful as you can make it.”

PM: We were listening to your episode on Pool Chasers, and you were talking a little bit about that. You got your feet wet, so to speak, with remodels. Are you all self-taught?

LC: “Yeah, there was nobody doing what I wanted to do and I mean nobody. I tried to find people to learn from, and there was just really no one in my area doing it. I had to get little bits and pieces of information from whoever I could ask. Really, kind of the one thing for me is I can visualize what I want to do and figure out how to make it, I guess that’s my gift. That part always came easy to me. I didn’t think it was really that big a deal. Then again, I guess there are things that I think are just so hard that are easy for other people. I guess if it’s your gift, it just kind of comes naturally. “

“I was always creative, though. I grew up without TV and living off the land and would always just make things. My dad was a furniture maker, so he worked and had a shop at home. I had access to all of that so as a kid, I’d play in the shop and build things.”

“I didn’t imagine I’d be this successful. It definitely wasn’t overnight. I mean, I started in 2003. It’s 2023 here. So 20 years of just, you know, a lot of stress and hard work and ups and downs. You know something though, at the end of the day, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

PM: That’s awesome. We have to ask you a question that we’re sure you keep getting asked. When is the next season of Insane Pools? Are you going to do another one?

LC: “We’ve been trying to figure out how we can pull that off. Right now, we just have so many projects in so many different states. And Florida is a massive state. I mean, if you go from Key West to Tallahassee, it’s almost 12 hours of driving. So we have a huge area to cover. I’d love to find a way to do it. As of right now, we don’t have anything in the works but we are self-producing some episodes on YouTube again, because that’s manageable and are compiling lots of footage of all our projects. We’re saving that up and trying to find a formula or format where we can actually have a couple of full-length episodes ready to release. We’re just trying to figure out whether we can get that on Insane Pools as maybe like a special they want to run.”

PM: We’ve seen you been delving into a couple of other new things. One of them was shipping container pools. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

LC: “So I went out to Vegas and met the company and they have a cool product. I’ve been trying to find other more affordable options for people. I thought, put a shipping container pool in the backyard and maybe do like a little pool house or cabana. It’s a nice backyard for a reasonable price and they’re pretty cool. It’s just hard to permit them. In areas where you want to fit one, you have to crane it back there. So not as big of a success with that as I was hoping. Definitely some challenges. I still think it could be a cool option for some people.”

PM: Your firm is known for over-the-top resort-style lagoon pools. Is this going to be like a whole side of his business that we haven’t seen before?

LC: “I think what I’d like to do is kind of get my construction company really ironed out, doing the big projects I really love, and I do a lot of consulting and traveling. As we iron out the business, that’s kind of what I want to go after, coming up with not only the multimillion-dollar pools, but really cool, affordable backyards as well. I feel like no matter what people’s income is, they all deserve a beautiful backyard. Everyone wants the same thing. They want a place to make memories with their friends and their family. It’d be really cool to help people find a path, no matter what their budget, to get a backyard they can enjoy.”

PM: What’s next on the horizon for your team over at Lucas Lagoons?

LC: “We’re doing like 15 big jobs right now. It’s pretty nuts. I do a lot of traveling and consulting. I’ve been training and building other teams for the travel work. So my team is able to keep working here in Florida. Every day is different.”

“Some days I’m traveling or flying or driving. Right now I’m assembling a big team to do a massive pool in Texas. They’re on 7,500 acres. It’s going to be the biggest pool of our career.

“It’s going to be a huge, massive pool that goes over a lower pool and between the two is a 3,000-square-foot grotto with a huge lazy river and just pretty much any feature you can imagine is on this pool. It’s going to be pretty intense to build.”

“Then we’re also designing and going to build our first full-on commercial pool for a resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It’s the Inn at Christmas Place and that’s going to be a Christmas-themed pool. We’re going to try to do a grotto-like an Igloo. We’re going to have some ice sculptures that are made out of acrylic.”

“We’re going to have a lazy river island with like an old truck with a Christmas tree in it. But, you know without making it look cheesy because Christmas can be hard to design for but it’s such a fun, awesome holiday. How do you do a Christmas pool that’s not just super cheesy? It’s been a challenge but it’s looking super cool. So yeah we’ve got some fun things going on.”

Listen to our entire interview with Lucas Congdon on the Pool Magazine podcast.

Featured Photo Credits: Kevin

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Editor in Chief of Pool Magazine - Joe Trusty is also CEO of PoolMarketing.com, the leading digital agency for the pool industry. An internet entrepreneur, software developer, author, and marketing professional with a long history in the pool industry. Joe oversees the writing and creative staff at Pool Magazine. To contact Joe Trusty email [email protected] or call (916) 467-9118 during normal business hours. For submissions, please send your message to [email protected]

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Western Pool & Spa Show Celebrating 45th Anniversary

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Western Pool & Spa Show Celebrating 45th Anniversary

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Western Pool & Spa Show which has been held annually in Long Beach, CA for the last 30 years. Last year over 10,000 pool and spa industry professionals attended the Western Pool & Spa Show making it one of the best-attended national shows in the country.

The Western Pool & Spa Show Celebrates 2 Milestones

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Eric Nielson, Director of the Western Pool & Spa Show on the pool magazine podcast. He gave us some insight into the history behind the annual event.

“It started off as a small tabletop and has grown, and this will also be our 30th year in the city which has become our home, Long Beach. So there are two milestones that we’re kind of celebrating,” said Nielson.

RayPak Avia

“Years ago, there was a small group of manufacturers, sales reps, and a few pool guys who simply got together and said, ‘Hey, maybe we should do something to educate people out there in the San Fernando Valley'”, said Nielson.

“They put together a small event in Studio City and it grew into something bigger. I believe it was Ray Pak or one of the heater companies that said, ‘Hey, maybe could we put one of our products out in the hall?’, and that was the impetus of the show floor. So they started that and then they brought in more things and it just sort of grew and grew from there. It moved from there to the convention center in Pasadena and then we outgrew that. Then there was a little time in Anaheim and now we’ve been 30 years in Long Beach,” explained Nielson.


Watch highlights from last years Western Pool & Spa show

The Western Show Has Evolved & Has Something For Everyone

The Western Show as it’s called in the trade has certainly evolved over the years, from being traditionally known as a “Service Show” to incorporating more involvement with the pool construction side of the industry. With a wide array of educational opportunities and seminars available for attendees to take, it also provides excellent value for attendees.

The show which runs from March 23-35 is open to the pool trade only. Registration is required and features workshops on how to become a CPO, seminars on electrical and plumbing, as well as workshops that are available in Spanish.

“We’re all volunteers and our focus is on education,” said Nielson, “everything that we do is geared towards us being able to provide that high-quality opportunity for educating the industry. This year we have lots of different classes that people can come and take advantage of for a very inexpensive price. For $115. You can come all three days, take any one of 90 different classes including programs for Spanish-speaking attendees. You really can’t get that anyplace else.”

Educational workshops are being held by Pentair, Hayward, and Fluidra as well as by Watershape University, Pool Nation, Orenda Technologies, Taylor Technologies, PAL Lighting, as well as many others. The class schedule and exhibit hours for this event are as follows:

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Education: 1:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Exhibit Hours: 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday, March 24, 2023

Education: 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Exhibit Hours: 2:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday, March 24, 2023

Education: 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Exhibit Hours: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Western Pool & Spa Show does hourly drawings and a big giveaway at the end of the event. “We’re going to give away $20,000 in cash,” said Nielson, “in total, we also ended up giving away almost $60,000 worth of prizes last year. Second prize last year we had a pump, heater, filter, a whole equipment pad from Pentair. We have hourly drawings. This year we’re working with AquaCal Autopilot. They are donating a heat pump which is valued at about $9,000.”


Watch highlights from last years big giveaway event at the Western Pool & Spa Show

The Western Show is also a great opportunity to network with professionals, distributors, and manufacturers as well as learn about the latest products and innovations. For those on the West Coast, it remains one of the easiest shows to get to and provides some of the best value in terms of the educational opportunities available for pool professionals.

Pool Magazine will definitely be in the house as well so make sure to stop by our booth (#216) and pick up the spring issue featuring Lucas Congdon, host of Insane Pools and owner of Lucas Lagoons.

Want to learn more about the Western Pool & Spa Show? Listen in on our conversation with Eric Nielson on the Pool Magazine podcast.

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Pentair Pool Leadership Announced

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Picture of Jerome Pedretti new CEO of Pentair Pool

London, United Kingdom (March 20, 2023) – Pentair recently appointed Jerome Pedretti as
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of its Pool segment, and Greg Claffey as
Group President of Pool.

In their roles, Pedretti and Claffey have a shared commitment to further supporting pool
professionals by delivering innovation excellence, accelerating category growth with smart,
sustainable products and solutions for the future of the pool industry, and making it easier to do business with Pentair.

“Our dealer base in Pool is important to us, and we work every day to lead with a ‘Customer
First’ mindset and become closer to our customers,” said Jerome Pedretti. “These dealers –
pool builders, service companies, small retailers – are critical to our success. We are focused
on prioritizing their needs and delivering for our customers into the future.”

Tieleman Movable Floors
Greg Claffey appointed as Group President of Pool with Pentair.

“Our network of pool professionals, channel partners, and dealers are at the heart of our vision
for the future,” said Greg Claffey. “We believe that 2023 will be a great year as we work to
deliver innovative and energy efficient pool solutions to help people more sustainably enjoy
water.”


ABOUT PENTAIR
At Pentair we help the world sustainably move, improve and enjoy water, life’s most essential resource. From our residential and business solutions to industrial water management and everything in between, Pentair is focused on smart, sustainable water solutions that help our planet and people thrive.

Pentair had revenue in 2022 of approximately $4.1 billion, and trades under the ticker symbol PNR. With approximately 11,250 global employees serving customers in more than 150 countries, we work to help improve lives and the environment around the world. To learn more, visit www.pentair.com. As an industry leader in the pool and spa space, Pentair is dedicated to elevating the pool experience to the next level with connected, efficient, and quality products so people can soak in the magical, wonder filled moments by their pool, giving them time – and peace of mind – to create them. Pentair’s pool solutions are engineered to filter, clean and sanitize water, while automation equipment makes it easy to
control from anywhere. For more information, visit pentair.com/pool.


CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release contains statements that we believe to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Without limitation, any statements preceded or followed by or that include the words “targets,” “plans,” “believes,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “likely,” “may,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “projects,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “positioned,” “strategy,” “future” or words, phrases or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking
statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the overall global economic and business conditions impacting our business, including the strength of housing and related markets and conditions relating to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine related sanctions; supply, demand, logistics, competition and pricing pressures related to and in the markets we serve; the ability to achieve the benefits of our restructuring plans, cost reduction initiatives and
transformation program; the impact of raw material, logistics and labor costs and other inflation; volatility in currency exchange rates; failure of markets to accept new product introductions and enhancements; the ability to successfully identify, finance, complete and integrate acquisitions; risks associated with operating foreign businesses; the impact of seasonality of sales and weather conditions; our ability to comply with laws and regulations; the impact of changes in laws, regulations and administrative policy, including those that limit U.S. tax benefits or impact trade agreements and tariffs; the outcome of litigation
and governmental proceedings; and the ability to achieve our long-term strategic operating and ESG goals. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. All forward-looking statements, including all financial forecasts, speak only as of the date of this release. Pentair assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update the information contained in this release.

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Floating Swimming Pool Proposed For San Francisco Bay Area

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Floating Swimming Pool Proposed For San Francisco Bay Area

A floating swimming pool has been proposed for the city of San Francisco and set to be the city’s first public pool of its kind, bringing a new type of aquatic experience to the Bay Area. Located on the San Francisco Bay, the heated, Olympic-sized pool would float on Piers 30-32, which are currently used for parking and will be rebuilt as part of the project.

The proposed floating pool would be surrounded by retail space, offices, and housing, including an apartment tower with 725 units, 25% of which would offer affordable housing. San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener proposed legislation in 2021 authorizing the construction of the pool on the state-owned piers. The plan proposes a unique recreational and relaxation space while also protecting the city’s waterfront from climate change and sea-level rise.

The concept has faced challenges, as previous attempts to revitalize the piers have been unsuccessful. Previous plans to turn the area into a stadium, a museum, and a cruise terminal have fallen through. However, Wiener is optimistic that this project will succeed. He believes that the previous plans failed because they tried to rehabilitate the piers, while this project involves completely rebuilding them. The success of the project depends on approval from the city, state, and various other agencies.

Floating swimming pool for San Francisco, CA.

The floating pool would be built on one of the two piers, with the other pier being converted into 375,000 square feet of offices and 45,000 square feet of retail space. The swimming pool would include space for lap swimming, water polo games, and lounging in a hot tub. A section of the Bay surrounding the pool will be dedicated to open water swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding.

The project, similar to the Plus Pool being proposed for the East River in New York City, aims to create an attractive and sustainable space that will enhance the waterfront, providing opportunities for new homes and public spaces that can be enjoyed by all.

The new plan for the project is a change from earlier versions, which emphasized commercial space on the piers, giving the impression of a large office park with a little waterfront recreation. The latest version of the project emphasizes swimming, with a focus on public access to the Bay and views of the Bay Bridge. The plan now calls for a single pier to be rebuilt, with the remaining pier to be converted into an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a shallow pool for people learning to swim, a hot tub, and shower facilities. Along the Embarcadero, there would be a market hall with food kiosks and artisan stands where makers can sell their goods.

Floating pool proposed for the Bay Area.

The project’s developers, Strada Investment Group and Trammell Crow, hope to attract bay swimmers with a roped-off area similar to the aquatic park near Crissy Field. They plan to heat the pools, most likely with fresh water, rather than the frigid water pumped in from the Bay. Developers have also released new renderings of the piers, which is more public-oriented than previous plans.

The piers’ redevelopment plan is designed to revitalize the Embarcadero and make it a more enjoyable public experience. The project’s success depends on making the Embarcadero feel less like walking by a couple of office building lobbies and more like an engaging, waterfront destination. The concept has undergone several changes in response to feedback from state agencies, particularly those that regulate the waterfront. The changes reflect the desire to create a space that is more in line with the natural environment, with a greater emphasis on public spaces and water recreation.

The project has faced several challenges, including the fact that the site where the project is proposed to be built is owned by the state, which means that special legislative approval would be required before a developer can build there. The project must also get approval from the city, the state, and several other agencies.

Developers hope that the floating pool will provide a unique aquatic experience in San Francisco, drawing locals and tourists alike to the Bay Area. The concept has received strong support from San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who said that the project would help the city to invest in critical infrastructure that would protect the waterfront from climate change and sea level rise while also creating opportunities for new homes and new spaces for the public to enjoy along the city’s gorgeous waterfront.

Photo Credits: Strada Investment Group

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