Transformation of Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club on Schedule

10/24/18 – Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in October for the expansion of the Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club in Darien, Connecticut, with KBE Building Corporation leading the construction effort. The $11.5 million design-build project will transform this 104-year old historic equestrian facility, long recognized for training award-winning equestrian champions, into one of the area’s most family-friendly athletic clubs in Fairfield County. The design-build project team includes KBE as design-builder and constructor, and BL Companies as the project architect. 

Expected to be completed by spring 2019, the newly renovated club will bring a mix of sporting activities, including singles and doubles squash, riding, platform tennis and fully equipped fitness center, as well as a new 18,000 sq. ft. clubhouse.  Once completed, Ox Ridge will be a one-of-a-kind club in the heart of Fairfield County offering athletic families a mix of sports and socializing in a casual and family friendly environment.  The property remains open during construction with the majority of its riding facilities and services fully operational.  

The club is building new indoor and outdoor riding rings, and has fully renovated its existing 60-horse stable complex with its adjacent 12 grass paddocks.  Its new clubhouse will include eight squash courts, pro shop, fitness facility with locker rooms, and exercise classrooms.  A reimagined pub and grillroom are also planned in the clubhouse.  Platform tennis will also be part of the members’ facilities.

Since construction began in July, the design/build team of KBE Building Corp. and BL Companies has completed all demolition on the property, including the old indoor and outdoor riding rings, and proceeded with phased footing installation for the new clubhouse.  And all site work is completed including erosion control.  The next phase of construction involves bringing underground utilities onto the property, including electric and plumbing.  

“For more than 104 years, the Town of Darien has been the home to the Ox Ridge Hunt Club, a world-class equestrian facility in the heart of our bucolic community.  Whether you are an equestrian enthusiast or not, the club is a local treasure,” said First Selectman Jayme Stevenson.  “We are very excited about the club’s redevelopment project that will update its equestrian facilities, add squash, paddle tennis, fitness activities and a new clubhouse to their membership offerings.  Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club will be an ideal venue for the highly anticipated June Horse Show as well as special events throughout the year.  As an adjacent property owner, the Town of Darien looks forward to many future community event collaborations with the Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club!”

“With six singles and two doubles squash courts as a foundation, Ox Ridge Riding and Racquet Club is building one of the strongest squash programs in the region.  Junior development is a major focus of our club, both for racquet sports and riding.  Our lesson programs and clinics are structured to take a player or rider as far as they aspire,” said Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club President Richard Colligan.  

“This expansion of the Ox Ridge facility will create a truly unique resource in the community,” said Mike Kolakowski, president & CEO of KBE Building Corp.  “We’re transforming a 104-year-old equestrian center into a top-notch squash and racquet center that still honors its equestrian heritage but offers so much more.  From a construction standpoint, it’s a great project, as we are building several different sporting facilities and a brand-new clubhouse in a very striking country setting.”

Established in 1914, Ox Ridge Riding & Racquet Club is located on a 22-acre sweep of land between Mansfield and Middlesex roads in Darien, Conn. 

About KBE Building Corporation
Located in Farmington, CT; Norwalk, CT; and Columbia, MD, KBE Building Corporation is a full-service, single-source commercial construction company strategically positioned to serve the Eastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. Founded in 1959 and incorporated in 1966, the firm provides preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the hospitality, educational, senior living, federal, corporate, retail, health care, and institutional markets. KBE has managed more than $2.5 billion in construction volume over the last decade and is ranked among Engineering News-Record magazine’s top 400 construction companies nationally. Learn more at www.kbebuilding.com.

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Rendering: Design/Build Team of KBE Building Corporation and BL Companies

Caption: KBE Building Corporation and BL Companies are the design-build for the expansion of this historic equestrian facility in Darien, CT, which is undergoing an $11.5 million transformation to a family-friendly athletic club, with new squash courts, clubhouse, pub/grillroom, and more.