We’re excited to present this application to recapture the natural beauty of One Larkspur Plaza Drive while honoring its role in supporting the recreative needs of greater Larkspur. Our hope is to create a refreshed and vibrant cornerstone of downtown life that offers unplugged activities in a garden sanctuary - a welcomed reprieve from this modern world. If successful, we will have helped to establish a worthy bookend to Larkspur’s historic district and an easy-button local gathering hub that is visible, walkable and in the mix - not on the outskirts, nor across the highway. 

Built in the 1960s, the existing structure was constructed to serve as a “big box” supermarket for discounted goods. Roughly a decade later, the prior owners (and operators of the Mt. Tam Racquet Club) repurposed the property, converting the ~50,000 square-foot supermarket structure into a combination of indoor and outdoor tennis, swim and fitness facilities. The property served those functions admirably for over half-a-century but - as it exists today - demands significant updating and re-investment. 

Delivering a viable and sustainable home for tennis, swim and fitness - at this address and at this moment in time - requires us to take a step back and a carefully considered approach. Under the reimagined plan, the site will emphasize outdoor recreation, primarily tennis and family swim, with an almost ~80% reduction in the developed footprint from what exists today and an equal, if not more significant, reduction in impervious cover and water runoff. 

The existing facility would be replaced with eight “CaliClay” tennis courts organized in a garden setting with designated tennis viewing areas, a swimming pool, fitness studios, changing rooms and a clubhouse intentionally designed as an inviting social gathering hub. The intent is for the new buildings and facilities to present seamlessly within downtown Larkspur and sit quietly within the local landscape. The gardens and landscaping will serve as the focal point of the site, instilling a sense of natural beauty and calm. 

Once complete, the redeveloped property will house many (though not all) of the same recreational uses offered for decades there, but under the banner of a new business with new ownership.

We look forward to working with Larkspur and its residents in bringing this vision to life.

Mark Harris, One Larkspur Plaza LLC