Ballard Pickleball Club Targets Fall 2026 for Five Indoor Courts
The former Joann in Ballard is planned as a five-court indoor pickleball club, but no exact opening date was posted as of September 30, 2026.
Status as of September 30, 2026: Ballard Pickleball Club’s website still describes the venue as “Coming Fall of 2026.” It does not list an exact opening date.
The club plans to convert the former Joann Fabrics store at 2217 NW 57th St in Seattle into a private facility with five climate-controlled indoor pickleball courts. The club’s official website says memberships and drop-in access are planned, along with open play, leagues, lessons and tournaments.
| Figure | Status on September 30, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Opening | Fall 2026 target; no specific date posted |
| Courts | 5 planned indoor courts |
| Address | 2217 NW 57th St, Seattle |
| Access model | Membership and drop-in play planned |
| Other space | Mezzanine/lounge and small practice area planned |
| Parking | 32-stall garage, not exclusively for pickleball users |
What changed since the original proposal
The project was still at the feasibility stage in March 2026. Project lead Pat Gilbrough and Babienko Architects were preparing for a City of Seattle pre-submittal conference about changing the building’s use from retail to recreation. The concept called for five courts, a second-story mezzanine and a small practice area, according to My Ballard’s March report.
By July, Gilbrough said a lease had been signed and the project was moving “full steam ahead.” The five-court plan remained intact, and the operator continued to target a fall opening, My Ballard reported.
A signed lease represents progress, but it does not establish that the courts are open. On September 30, the club’s site still gave only a fall 2026 window and did not list a first day, operating hours or prices. Players should therefore treat fall as a target rather than a firm appointment.
How to count the courts
The defensible figure is five planned private indoor courts, not five courts already available for play. A current inventory of playable courts should not include them until the facility opens and access can be verified.
They also should not be classified as dedicated public courts. The operator plans to accept drop-ins, but this is a privately operated club offering memberships and paid programming. That distinction matters because broad court totals can mix municipal facilities, private clubs and tennis courts with pickleball lines. See our method for separating dedicated public and total pickleball court counts.
The five-court figure excludes the proposed small practice area. Neither the local reports nor the club website identifies that space as another regulation court, so it should not be added to the inventory.
The garage is shared capacity
The building’s 32-stall underground garage had reopened by July, initially for Ballard Health Club members. Gilbrough told My Ballard that the garage would later serve pickleball club members and visitors. He also planned to offer public parking, mainly on weekends during the Ballard Farmers Market.
Accordingly, 32 stalls means the garage’s physical capacity—not 32 spaces reserved for pickleball players.
The next useful opening update would be a specific date supported by a published schedule or bookable court time. Until then, the traceable description is: five indoor courts planned for fall 2026 at the former Ballard Joann, with no precise opening date posted as of September 30.