ST. LOUIS (June 17, 2020) – St. Louis-based Tarlton Corporation is providing preconstruction and general contracting services for the reimagining of St. Louis landmark Tower Tee into a 27-acre golf and recreation complex set to open next year in South St. Louis.
The cornerstone of the new Tower Tee Golf Complex will be a 6,000-square-foot clubhouse that includes a welcome desk, indoor training facility and lounge area. The team also will construct two single-level driving range structures, a two-story driving range structure, covered practice tee boxes, a new nine-hole golf course, expanded outdoor training area, concession area and two covered patios. For non-golfers, the facility will include a new miniature golf course, bocce courts, playground, batting cages and a course for foot golf, golf played with a soccer ball.
Site work is underway, with construction slated to begin in July. Completion is estimated for February 2021, with an anticipated grand opening in late spring. “The grading process is well underway and grassing of the driving range and short game area will take place soon,” said Mike Shamia of Tower Tee. “Special care was taken to create a facility that will appeal to the most accomplished golfer and novice alike. The greens will begin to take shape soon, with the goal of growing grass late summer on the course.”
The new facility will pay tribute to the original Tower Tee in various ways. Originally opening in 1963, Tower Tee was a South St. Louis staple, with batting cages, an 18-hole golf course, driving range and miniature golf. In 2018, after 55 years in operation, the original owners closed the business and plans began for a new subdivision. Passionate area residents lobbied against the residential development. The site was purchased in May 2019 by Steve Walkenbach with a different plan in mind.
The new ownership team promises golfers “the best public practice area in the region,” boasting a 15,000-square-foot putting green and a short game practice area. The former 18-hole golf course will be replaced by a new nine-hole course, with greens meeting U.S. Golf Association construction guidelines. Each of the nine greens is designed after a world-famous green. Art Schaupeter, a member of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, is the course architect. FGM Architects is the project architect.
The Tarlton team includes Andy Kovarik, project executive; Bridget Fischer, project manager; Greg Sweeso, project manager – preconstruction; and Emily LeGrand, cost engineer. Fischer, who grew up a half mile from Tower Tee, said, “This is a very important project not only for me, but for the community as well. I can remember walking there to go to batting practice. I can’t wait to take my little guy to enjoy some time there, as I did when I was a kid.”