Building Pools in the City - Bob Blanda

By: Joe Trusty - Pool Magazine

We go one-on-one with pool industry veteran Bob Blanda who made a career building pools in the busiest city on Earth.

If you’re going to build pools in the busiest city on Earth, you need your head on a swivel to say the least. Recently we had a chance to catch up with Bob Blanda of Mill Bergen Pools. He has been performing pool construction in the Big Apple for over three decades and is one of the premier pool builders in New York City today.

The journey to becoming a high-end Manhattan builder was a long one and success didn’t happen overnight for Blanda who started off like many doing pool service. He began his first forays into the industry as a teenager in Brooklyn. It was in 1986, after finishing with a bachelor’s degree in business management that Blanda would form his second company Manhattan-based Mill Bergen Pool Center. Today he holds the certifications of Certified Building Professional (CBP), Certified Service Professional (CSP), and Certified Pool Operator (CPO). Blanda also serves as president of the Northeast Spa and Pool Association (NESPA), where he now serves as President and sits on the board of directors for the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance.

It’s safe to say that Blanda has made a name for his firm during that time span as a trusted pool construction company of choice in New York City.

An industry thought leader and seasoned veteran pool builder, Blanda knows what it takes to execute a pool project where most people in their right mind wouldn’t even attempt to park a car.

Simply traveling around the city itself can be daunting, as the congestion in Manhattan is ranked #1 for worst traffic in the United States. With drivers experiencing an average of 102 hours delayed each year, Blanda confirmed this adds another dimension of complexity to building pools. “If there’s traffic, you can sit there for an hour and a half waiting just to go around the block,” said Blanda.

“Trying to get cement delivered to the city means you have to get 4-5 parking spots cleared,” he explained, “What we do is wait until they have alternate side parking for the street sweepers and that is the day we’ll schedule cement.”

Photo Credit: Mill Bergen Pools

A new level of complexity Blanda may soon be facing is the recent changes to legislation that allow for a new toll system designed to alleviate traffic and generate revenue for the city. “Now they’re adding congestion pricing,” said Blanda, “I think it’s pretty close to being put through where they charge like $30-$40 dollars per day per vehicle just to get into the city. This, on top of the gas, tolls, and all the other expenses.”

Aside from these new concerns, Blanda says the requirements for building pools in New York City are more stringent and regulated. “All of the rules that go on everywhere else are enhanced in Manhattan. Having your OSHA-30, hard hats, and the proper gear (are required).”

The security around some of these job sites is often higher than typically found in your normal residential pool construction project. “Walking into a job site means having to sign in, having to sit on safety meetings. Some of the jobs are so secure they’re using retina eye scans to get in and out. If it’s a high-end residential project, there is probably a security guard sitting at a desk in the hall of the house,” explained Blanda.

Photo Credit: Mill Bergen Pools

The challenges of building high-end swimming pools in the Big Apple don’t end there. “There is a lot of difficulty working with other trades,” said Blanda, “if you’re working on a job like that it’s often in the middle of the construction of the home or building. You’re contending for use of the elevator, other trades with materials in your way, so it’s not like you’re alone there and given the exclusivity to be the only person working there.”

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