NEW: LA Fitness to Open First RI Location in Garden City
GoLocalProv Business Team
NEW: LA Fitness to Open First RI Location in Garden City
LA Fitness, one of the nation’s fastest growing sports club chains, has chosen Garden City Center as its first Rhode Island location. The facility will be located next to Office Max in a new 38,000 square foot, two-level building featuring an interior with a hotel-inspired look. To make way for LA Fitness, the former Borders bookstore structure will be demolished. Construction will begin in January 2013 and LA Fitness is expected to open at Garden City Center in late December 2013 or early 2014.
Garden City's transformation
LA Fitness’ commitment to Garden City Center continues the multi-phase transformation of the center into a major 21st century lifestyle destination. Phase I is well underway, with the transformation of the iconic Garden City Center gazebo from the end-cap of the Village to the new focal point of the center recently completed. Additionally, a new 20,000 square foot building is under construction next to Papa Razzi for the new home of Pottery Barn; and work is well underway for an expansion and update of the center’s highly successful Williams Sonoma. LA Fitness will mark the beginning of Phase II by transforming former large format retail space into a mix of mid-size and smaller specialty stores, while linking that area to Garden City Center’s Village stores. Further phases will include the addition of new restaurants and redesigned connections to the Whole Foods Market section of the center.
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“LA Fitness brings a new dimension to the Garden City Center experience for our shoppers,” said Andrew T. LaGrega, a principal of The Wilder Companies, the management company of Garden City Center. “Today, people don’t have time to run around from place to place. Garden City Center offers consumers one-stop access to retail and grocery shopping, restaurants, banking, fitness, personal services and other activities that are part of today’s busy lifestyles. By selecting Garden City Center for its first Rhode Island location, we believe LA Fitness recognizes that Garden City Center offers the right atmosphere and mix of amenities that 21st Century consumers demand.”
Founded in 1984, LA Fitness currently has over 500 locations in 22 states and Canada, including 13 locations in New England, and offers a wide range of amenities designed to promote a healthy lifestyle. This new facility will include state-of –the art cardio equipment, a heated indoor lap pool, basketball and racquetball courts; group fitness classes including Zumba, yoga and aqua fit; as well as spa, sauna and locker room facilities, babysitting and more.
Other recent additions to Garden City
Other recent additions to Garden City Center include: Ann Taylor, which opened its second Rhode Island location with a 4,700 square foot store in Garden City Center in June. In early October, European Wax, a premier waxing service provider, will open a new 1,787 square foot store next door to a newly signed Courtesy Cleaners (opening October 2012) located near Whole Foods Market. Additionally, Clogs by Alexander’s, Soma Intimates and Edible Arrangements all recently opened stores in the Village.