Since its opening in 1958, the John Knox Village campus in Pompano Beach, Fla., has grown to 65 acres with more than 1,000 residents.

In 2018, the continuing care retirement community’s board of directors decided to embark on a master planning and design visioning program with EDSA (Fort Lauderdale), a planning, landscape architecture, and urban design firm, to guide capital improvements on campus, including expanding its residential offerings and amenities to sustain relevance in its marketplace.

Among the priorities identified by residents was upgrading the 1,000-square-foot pool. At the time, the pool pavilion featured restrooms and a small storage space, outdated furniture, and few shaded areas. Additionally, the size of the pool made it difficult to get a spot in the popular water aerobics classes, which were a main draw to the facility.

“The original vision for the project was to stay within the bounds of the original fence and slightly enlarge the pool and pool deck, add shade sails, and create more resort-like landscaping,” says Mihaela Zaharescu, vice president at EDSA (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), which led the design and planning for the outdoor facilities, aquatic center, and new buildings on the project.


Upon further examination of the site, however, EDSA proposed adding more deck and seating space and a new lap pool by utilizing part of an adjacent parking lot and redistributing the displaced parking spaces along the perimeter of the new aquatics complex. The expansion would also include space for new bocce and pickleball courts and a more accessible pool pavilion and bar building with restrooms.

Completed in March 2021, the new outdoor setting includes a 2,700-square-foot leisure pool for swimming and water aerobics classes, a 2,300-square-foot lap pool, and a 10-foot-diameter whirlpool spa.

Ancillary buildings for storage and pool equipment were also added on the south side of the complex, providing a buffer between the street and new sports courts.

To complement the new offerings, the project team also decided to renovate the adjacent Village Center Auditorium into a restaurant with direct pool access.

To ensure resident comfort and safety, the complex’s natural stone deck is sealed to prevent slipping and features lounge chairs, umbrellas, and seating alcoves. A triangular shade sail system spans the leisure pool and sports courts to provide sun protection for residents while they enjoy outdoor activities. The shades, which can be removed during hurricane season, span 65 feet and incorporate light fixtures to illuminate the space in the evening, extending the amount of time residents can utilize the amenities.

Overall, Zaharescu says the project upgrade turned a dated amenity space into the heart of the community. “The synergy between the pool, restaurant, outdoor bar, and sports courts creates a gathering place that brings together residents and families in multigenerational interactions,” Zaharescu says. “Furthermore, it’s a featured stop the management team uses in their community tour visits for prospective residents and has proven to be a major selling point.”