By Kaya Laterman
Once a center of fashion during the Gilded Age and now part of
the Ladies' Mile Historic District where elegant department stores
once stood, the area between Madison Square Park and Union Square
has become a booming fitness enclave for exercise classes and
retailers selling workout apparel.
Looking east or west on Fifth Avenue between 14th and 23rd
streets, there are now about 40 fitness-related businesses, many of
them "boutique" studios where exercise routines--often led by a
charismatic instructor--aim to transform the mind and body.
Boutique classes have proven particularly popular with
professionals in the 20-to-45 age range.
Elizabeth Cutler, co-chief executive and co-founder of
SoulCycle, which offers intense spin classes, said the company's
decision to locate two studios just minutes away from each other
was rather simple: the added space was needed to keep up with
demand.
SoulCycle's Union Square studio, at 18th Street between Fifth
and Broadway, has been packed since opening in 2011. The clientele
skews toward a younger crowd, with students, artists, and models
attending classes.
Its second area location, which opened in December on 19th
Street near Fifth, is mostly filled with workers from the Flatiron
District and Chelsea, as well as parents who come in for a workout
after dropping off their children at school.
"It's not unusual to see tenants looking to double down [with
more locations] as the area became the epicenter for fitness," said
Jackie Totolo, a senior director at RKF, a real-estate firm that is
active in leasing retail space in the area. "There's demand during
the day and at night because of the technology and creative
companies that have offices here, as well as the youthful
residential population that now live on the side streets."
The fitness world has evolved from just hitting the gym to lift
weights and take an aerobics class. Boutique fitness studios with
locations in the Flatiron area, including Flywheel Sports (spin and
barre), Circuit of Change (cardio, martial arts, yoga and
meditation rolled into one) and Om Factory (aerial yoga), are
attractive for those who want to be part of a community while
getting fit.
Taking a fitness class has increasingly become part of the
social scene for affluent young adults (each class is usually in
the $20-$40 range), where a few enthusiasts are known to run from
studio to studio to take back-to-back classes, or take a class with
friends and then head out for a bite to eat together.
Annbeth Eschbach, chief executive and founder of exhale, a
boutique spa and fitness studio, opened her sixth New York City
location on 21st Street in early June. She said 80% of the classes
offered at the new location in its first month--including a high
intensity interval training class called Core Fusion Extreme--were
sold out.
"We chose the location because of its proximity to active,
trendsetting, youthful individuals that value well-being and
quality boutique fitness classes," she said.
Beside ideal demographics, the boom in fitness outlets in the
Flatiron area has been fostered by the availability of large loft
spaces, especially on the upper floors of the historic buildings
that were occupied decades ago by manufacturing companies, said Ms.
Totolo.
Large-scale fitness retailers have taken note of the activity.
Reebok FitHub on Union Square West opened this month, joining
neighboring Lululemon Athletica and a host of Fifth Avenue retail
tenants, including Nike Running, New Balance and Athleta.
"We're looking for FitHub to become a global brand so the area
intersected a good mix of community residents, office workers,
students and tourists," said Jason Smith, director of retail at
Reebok. "It seems right for us to be there."
The 11,600-square-foot FitHub offers free classes and stocks
Reebok apparel on the ground floor, while a CrossFit gym occupies
the basement.
There are also numerous healthy-eating options in the area,
including juice bars Liquiteria on 17th Street between Fifth and
Broadway and Juice Press on 22nd Street and Fifth.
Anchored by the four-times-a-week Union Square Greenmarket and
Paragon Sports, the granddaddy of sports retailers in the area, the
Ladies' Mile Historic District is now a "one-stop shop for our
active lifestyle community," said SoulCycle's Ms. Cutler.
$1.2 million 874 Broadway, No. 307
This is a two-bedroom co-op with one bathroom.
Property Plus: A loft apartment with exposed brick walls.
Property Minus: Limited views
Listing Agent: Karen Paneggiante of Corcoran Group,
212-941-2596
$2.295 million 105 Fifth Ave., No. 7E
This is a two-bedroom co-op with two bathrooms.
Property Plus: The ceilings are more than 11 feet high.
Property Minus: The kitchen could use updating.
Listing Agent: Debbie Korb of Sotheby's International Realty,
212-431-2454
$5.3 million 27 W. 19th St., PH
This is a two-floor, three-bedroom condo with 2 1/2
bathrooms.
Property Plus: Includes a private roof-top terrace.
Property Minus: The unit is currently configured as a
two-bedroom apartment.
Listing Agent: Emily Beare of Core Group, 212-726-0786
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