Large fitness center chain signs deal for big facility on south Iowa; more info on changes in the works at Genesis Health Club

Maybe they read about the pending explosion of fried chicken places coming to south Iowa Street and figured waistlines were sure to follow. Whatever the case, a new national fitness club chain has signed a deal for a large space along the south Iowa Street corridor.

Planet Fitness has reached a deal to lease 22,000 square feet of space in the shopping center that houses Office Depot at 25th and Iowa streets.

“We’re confident it will be a really good addition for the community,” said Greg Henson, managing partner for the Planet Fitness franchise in the Kansas City metro. “To us, Lawrence looks like a very health-conscious community. You have some great facilities there, but this will give people an option that will be very inexpensive.”

It sure seems like Planet Fitness is the type of player that could shake up the local fitness club market. The company has an aggressive pricing strategy. Its basic membership starts at $10 per month. Its premium membership is $20 per month, but it allows you to bring a guest with you as often as you would like. Both memberships also allow members to take an unlimited number of fitness classes at no additional charge. Plans call for the workout areas to be open 24 hours a day.

Henson said the Planet Fitness concept — his group owns seven of the clubs in the Kansas City metro — revolves around the idea that people don’t join fitness clubs for a combination of three reasons: 1. They feel intimidated in the workout area; 2. The costs are too high; 3. The clubs aren’t clean enough.

“I think people will be very impressed with the cleanliness, the friendliness, the judgment-free attitude, and it is cheap to join,” Henson said.

The club is expected to have more than 100 pieces of cardio equipment, plus weights, large locker rooms, an indoor tanning area and water massage tables, in addition to other amenities.

Henson has begun the process of applying for the necessary permits to renovate the space. Planet Fitness will be going into a portion of the former Discovery Furniture store. (Discovery moved its store to Johnson County, in case you have forgotten.) It will occupy the part of the building that is adjacent to Office Depot. If all goes according to plan, Henson hopes to have the club open this spring.

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The Planet Fitness deal fills about half of the available space in the shopping center, said Christian Ablah, who is a commercial real estate broker for the project. Ablah said about 23,000 square feet remain, and interest from retailers in the property has been strong.

“We’re excited to have Planet Fitness, and we’re excited with the other retailers that are interested in the site,” said Ablah.

The deal is the latest sign that south Iowa Street continues to draw a lot of interest from retailers and others who want to take advantage of the high traffic volumes and the pending completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway. Henson said being on the south Iowa corridor was an easy decision for his company to make.

“To us, 23rd and Iowa is kind of a legendary intersection in Lawrence,” Henson said. “Everybody knows where that is at in Lawrence. Being near that intersection and having all the traffic and retailers on Iowa Street made it a really desirable location.”

In other news and notes from around town:

• Planet Fitness is entering the Lawrence market at an interesting time. As we previously have reported, Genesis Health Clubs– Lawrence’s largest fitness club provider — has reached a deal to convert the Jayhawk Tennis Center on Clinton Parkway into a fitness center. But now my understanding is the new Clinton Parkway facility will replace Genesis’ current facility at 23rd and Iowa streets.

Joe Oxler, regional director for Genesis, told me the plans were to close the 23rd and Iowa facility once the new Genesis club opens at the tennis center site, which is at 5200 Clinton Parkway in west Lawrence. Work on the tennis center site is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.

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Now, I talked with Oxler before the Planet Fitness deal was announced, so I suppose a change of strategy is possible, but I doubt it. The company already has purchased the tennis center site, and is excited about being able to offer a different type of club to Lawrence. The tennis center site will continue to have tennis offerings, but now will have a full complement of cardio, weights, three group fitness studios and other fitness club components.

Oxler said six of the 21 clubs Genesis operates in the region include tennis courts. He said club members enjoy the competition and workout that the game provides.

“We’re big supporters of tennis,” Oxler said.

Oxler said Genesis had tried on multiple occasions to buy the building they’re in at 23rd and Iowa, but had been unsuccessful in striking a deal for the location. Genesis generally invests large amounts of money into the interior design of its clubs and prefers to own the real estate when making a large investment in amenities.

Oxler said the Clinton Parkway facility will allow for the company to make a major investment in amenities at the location. Genesis’ other facility on Sixth Street recently completed a major renovation. Oxler said he thinks the new Clinton Parkway facility will appeal to some users of the Sixth Street facility, which should open up some capacity at the Sixth Street location.

“We think it will be a great move for us and also for KU,” Oxler said.

In case you have forgotten, KU has announced plans to build a new tennis facility at Rock Chalk Park as part of a public-private partnership with a development group led by Lawrence businessman Thomas Fritzel. Until that facility is complete, KU’s tennis team will continue to use the Clinton Parkway facility.