FORT WAYNE, Ind (WFFT)– A longtime Fort Wayne fitness staple is undergoing a major transformation.
Wildwood Racquet and Wellness Club, which first opened in 1972 as a tennis-focused racquet club, is now in the middle of a multi-phase renovation and expansion project aimed at modernizing the facility and enhancing the overall member experience.
Owner Josh Rifkin says the project has been years in the making.
“Wildwood is going under a transformation of development within two phases of renovation or expansion,” Rifkin said. “The first phase was new courts, which has already been complete so that’s all new court experience from pickleball, tennis, and viewing.”
The club has grown significantly over the decades, expanding into a 12-court indoor facility and later incorporating pickleball. Rifkin said with steady membership and constant use, reinvestment became necessary.
“With anything over time and with membership and constant utilization, the wear and tear on not only the building infrastructure, but the facility, especially the courts, that has to be something that’s reinvested into deliver the experience that members would want and deserve, and then to have for friends, family, and guests,” Rifkin said.
The next phase of the project is expected to begin as early as March and will include expanding the building’s square footage.
Plans call for additional space for staff offices, a multi-purpose room, upgraded electrical systems and new dining and social areas.
Later renovations will focus on modernizing the remainder of the facility, adding a private event venue and a deck area.
Rifkin said the goal is to create a more unified wellness environment that blends fitness, racquet sports, dining and community gathering spaces into what he calls a “modern club experience.”
Despite the construction, the facility will remain open throughout the process.
“Full service and operations throughout the whole 18 plus months or whatever the renovation is,” Rifkin said. “The goal is to not take away any service or any experience that the members and the guests are already having.”
The full project timeline is estimated at roughly 18 months, with hopes of completion by summer 2027.
Rifkin said he encourages community members to visit now to see the changes already in place.
