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Robert Blanda is President of Mill Bergen Pools in Brooklyn, NY.  He is a Certified Building Professional, NESPA Metro Chapter Treasurer, A NESPA Quarter Century Club Member and Regional NESPA Director as well as National APSP Builders Council Member.  Bob is also a really nice guy who has become known for his creative solutions to unique swimming pool construction projects in the New York City market.  This project is located near Central Park and here are some notes from Bob;

“I was contacted by a project manager indicating that they had two pools to build in NYC and wanted quotes. We submitted bids on both and after a year Mill Bergen was contacted again to finalize details and begin one of those projects.”

“When we initially arrived on the site the house was already gutted and an excavation contractor was busy splitting the bedrock necessary to create a room 40 feet below the street, under the house and under the back yard long enough for this indoor pool.  This excavation took over a year.  It had to be 24″ deeper than the finished pool (and obviously all below the existing basement) to allow for a gravel drainage system with a sump and ejector pump. It also extends 18 feet further than the house under the existing backyard.  The existing foundation had to be underpinned section by section to create a concrete foundation for the entire project.”

“When this portion of the project was completed, we were able to start our framing and lay piping in place. Next was steel and additional piping followed by lighting.  After grounding, pressure testing and inspections we sprayed the shell.  After the shell cured, we disappeared for a year as the contractor continued the construction of the house.”

“We were brought back after the contractor installed cinderblock on top of three of the walls of the pool all the way to the ceiling.  We then extended the piping and lighting into the filter room, packed all fittings and fixtures and waterproofed the shell.  Custom stone was ordered for the coping decking and pool walls along with the cinderblock walls above.  We then provided and installed the filter plant along with the alternate sanitizer system and pool controls.  The electrician and plumber then set up  controls, home automation, lighting & alternate sanitizing system.  The plumber finished the waste line, floor drain and fresh water supply for the autofill.”

“Next the stone masons from Italy came and clad everything including deck, the walls and even the doors to the equipment area. The final step was setting the 2 foot by three foot slabs of stone on the pool and spa walls and benches.  We finished with a custom durazzo finish and polished the floor of the pool and the spa.”

This project took over three years from start to finish and shows why Bob and his team have become well known for building amazing swimming pools in some of the most challenging venues.  This video shares some of those challenges and the finished project:

Respectfully submitted,

Ken Rogner, Carecraft VP, Networking and Education