KAI and SmithGroup Help Deliver Long-Awaited Aquatics & Recreation Center for City of DeSoto, TX

For more than a decade, residents of DeSoto, Texas, have envisioned a multigenerational recreation and indoor aquatics center that would serve both community recreation needs and provide a competitive venue for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, swimming and supports other athletic competitions.

Designed in partnership by KAI and SmithGroup, the City of DeSoto’s new $53 million Aquatics & Recreation Center (ARC) officially opened to the public in April at 1400 Academy Way in Curtistene S. McCowan Park.

The ARC project is part of a larger master plan for the park, which includes plans for an amphitheater, water features, sculpture garden, walking trails and additional sports fields. The KAI and SmithGroup team also provided program validation, community engagement, bidding support and construction administration services.

“We spent a lot of time putting the plan together and the citizens have been telling us for over a decade that this is something that is important to them and something that they wanted to see,” said Chris Glover, former Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of DeSoto.

Designed to support the health and wellness needs of residents of all ages while also serving as a premier destination for competitive athletics, highlights of the 75,000-square-foot, two-story ARC facility include:

• 8-lane competition pool
• Leisure pool with observation decks on the second level
• 400-foot fitness track suspended above the first level
• Fully equipped fitness and strength training area
• Meeting rooms
• Locker rooms
• Gymnasiums
• Administrative offices
• Social gathering spaces

“We are thrilled to help bring this transformational facility to the City of DeSoto,” said KAI President Darren L. James, FAIA, NOMA, NCARB. “Residents have waited a long time for a community asset that serves people of all ages while supporting competitive athletics. Through extensive community engagement, we worked closely with stakeholders to ensure the design reflects DeSoto’s rich history, culture and diversity while creating a destination that will serve the community for generations to come.”

“The ARC at McCowan Park is far more than a recreation center. It is a reflection of the DeSoto community itself,” said Randall Daniel, Senior Design Principal at SmithGroup. “Every aspect of the design was shaped by the aspirations, culture and values of DeSoto residents.”

Manhattan Construction Company, in partnership with Post L Group, served as general contractor and worked alongside KAI, SmithGroup and the City of DeSoto to deliver the long-envisioned facility sought by residents for more than a decade.