A Crunch Fitness gym that has called the same North Academy Boulevard address home for well over a decade is heading to a new space nearby. The club has operated at 5620 N. Academy Blvd. and is heading roughly a mile south, into a building that previously housed a Big Lots at 5085 N. Academy Blvd.
Fit Fusion, a Crunch Fitness franchisee that acquired both Colorado Springs locations from Harman Fitness in April, is behind the move and anticipates the 30,000-square-foot space will be ready for members before the year is out. Pre-sale memberships are already available, the company announced in a Wednesday news release. The gym will keep its doors open at the 5620 N. Academy address throughout the transition.
The franchisee's $5 million buildout will bring in large cardio and strength training floors, studios dedicated to yoga and Pilates, an indoor turf training zone, circuit training, personal training, group fitness classes, and Olympic lifting platforms. A dedicated Crunch Reform Pilates studio will be reserved for holders of the brand's premium Peak Results membership, while other specialty offerings — including TRX classes and a hot studio for yoga and Pilates — will also be available. Recovery-focused amenities will encompass HydroMassage, red-light therapy, cryotherapy, tanning, sauna, and a stretching area, and families will have access to Kids Crunch babysitting services.
The facility is being built around Crunch's newer 3.0 design concept, which blends fitness programming with entertainment elements for what the company calls an elevated workout experience. The club will operate around the clock every day of the week, an operational shift Fit Fusion rolled out across its locations on June 1.
The company is also setting up a nearby enrollment center just steps from the new gym site, slated to open this winter, where a street team will cultivate partnerships with area businesses and promote employee wellness programs. On the membership side, the first 500 people to sign on as founding members will be offered a $1 join fee, one free month, and complimentary branded merchandise. The club is also running a sweepstakes through which 10 people can win a free one-year membership.
The relocation lands in the middle of a busy stretch for fitness options in the city. VASA Fitness, which is based in Colorado, debuted its fourth Springs location in Briargate last summer; Planet Fitness, headquartered in New Hampshire, launched its seventh area club in Old Colorado City in December; and locally rooted Iron Wild Fitness opened a downtown gym in May. Fit Fusion has pointed to the Crunch brand's record on inclusion and its range of offerings at accessible price points as what sets the chain apart from those competitors.
The franchisee is weighing whether to relocate or renovate its south-side club at 1801 S. Academy Blvd., a location that has been in place for 16 years, though that question is taking a back seat while leadership focuses on the north club transition.
A firm opening date for the new North Academy location, and any final decision on the south club's future, remain to be announced.