Possum Creek Skatepark, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Construction is steadily moving forward on the 18,000 sq. ft. Possum Creek Skatepark in Gainesville, Florida.

Led by Spohn Ranch’s COO, Mark Bradford, the crews in Gainesville are quickly turning what were once just some dreams scribbled on paper into one of Florida’s premiere concrete skateparks.

Through a combination of advanced pre-cast concrete technology and methodical on-site concrete pours, the skatepark is nearing a flawless finish with less than 30 days on site. By precision-casting the most time-consuming features off-site, we were able to dramatically reduce our construction timeline on this project. While features like stairs were being cast in our factory-controlled conditions, we were able to simultaneously move forward with site work.

With construction set to wrap up in the next two weeks, the City of Gainesville will be preparing for one of Florida’s most anticipated skatepark grand openings in years.

The Possum Creek Skatepark is a triangular expanse of unique terrain. The park’s focus on aesthetic symmetry and a diversity of skateable features makes it a one-of-a-kind destination skatepark. This captivating skatepark features modern plaza elements, a traditional multi-level bowl and unique obstacles which allow skaters to transition through the park’s integrated landscaping.

Bethune Point Skatepark Daytona Beach, Florida, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Click the photo above to check out shots from the construction progress at Spohn Ranch’s Bethune Point Skatepark in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The skatepark was planned, designed and constructed by Spohn Ranch, co-designed by Pillar Design Studios, featuring pre-cast concrete manufactured by Barkman Concrete, poured-in-place concrete work by Spohn Ranch, and bowl construction by California Skateparks.  With all of the flatwork complete, pre-cast concrete pieces set in place, and bowl construction finished, all the remains is the final landscaping in preparation for the skatepark’s grand opening.

Some of the unique features of this park include a colossal pre-cast concrete clam shell, pre-cast Skateable Art pieces such as the “Roll-Over Whip” and “Broken Pyramid”, and an extra-wide “Bent Penny” pre-cast bank textured with grooves for an innovative real-world skating experience.  By combining these pre-cast pieces with poured-in-place concrete features, a plethora of stairs, hubbas, and rails, and a custom in-ground bowl – we’ve created a diverse skating masterpiece that the skaters of Florida can enjoy for decades to come.

Daytona Beach, Florida Concrete Skatepark, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Click the photo above to see shots of the construction work in process at Spohn Ranch’s premier skatepark for 2009 in Daytona Beach, Florida. This 20,000 square foot concrete skatepark is being built through a combination of pre-cast and poured-in-place concrete. By utilizing the advantages of each system, the city of Daytona Beach is truly getting the best of both worlds.

At this point, the majority of the pre-cast elements have been set in place, the poured-in-place bowl has been finished with pool coping, and all that remains is the final flat work. Stay tuned for more updates on the construction progress and the date of the Grand Opening.

Waterfall piece for skatepark bowl with elevation changes, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

This is part of a waterfall to be installed in a SpohnCrete bowl. This piece is massive, about 8 feet tall x 10 feet deep x 12 feet long. We’re finally pushing pre-cast to the point where it can replicate any poured-in-place feature, including waterfalls, over-vert and complex spines. This puts SpohnCrete lightyears ahead of other pre-cast concrete builders. Many people still think of pre-cast concrete as a simple system of traffic barriers and banks which are designed and built by non-skaters. This pieces shows what is possible when lifelong skaters spend 20 years researching and developing the cutting edge of skatepark construction. While this is a milestone in concrete skateparks, it still represents the tip of the iceberg of pre-cast concrete’s potential. As more pieces are added to the SpohnCrete library (2-4 per park), the cost of parks comes down. We put this piece out as a challenge to anyone who would compare SpohnCrete to previous generations of pre-cast concrete. SpohnCrete is a new way to build custom concrete skateparks, not a way to fool cities into thinking they’re getting a “concrete park”. No approach plates, no seams, no threshold between slab and transition. And while we’re pushing the system bigger and bigger (as evidenced by the above photo), we’re also paying attention to the small parks and elements, including our innovations in Skateable Art. For more info, please visit Spohn Ranch Skatepark’s website.

Bent Penny – Granite Ledge Installation by Spohn Ranch Skateparks, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

Spohn Ranch is proud to announce that the first phase of construction is complete on one of the largest skateable art installations in the United States. With amazing pieces of skateable public sculpture artfully set along a winding pedestrian path, this park is a ground-breaking space that incorporates skaters into the community by recognizing their right to practice their sport. Spohn Ranch worked with local landscape architects from the concept phase to plan, design and build this innovative park using the SpohnCrete system of pre-cast concrete skate elements. Usually used in creating skateparks with quarter-pipes, grind ledges and bowls, the SpohnCrete system proved the perfect method for creating unique skateable art pieces in a timely and cost-efficient way. These photos show the pieces after initial placement. When the concrete flatwork is poured around them, they will sit seamlessly with the surrounding landscape design. This project shows Spohn Ranch Skateparks’ mission to apply the highest level of construction and architecture to skateparks.

Skatelite bowl custom construction, originally uploaded by spohnranchskateparks.

The spohn ranch shop guys have been working overtime to get this bowl out the door for a amazing project in the Phillipines. Pardon the camera phone quality, but we can’t give away too many tricks of the trade.