Is Chesterfield sports facility a quixotic quest?

(Editor’s Note: This story is several pages long. To keep reading, click the “next page” link at the bottom.)

Each time Steve Burton talks about SportsQuest, his plan sounds more ambitious.

It has been his dream for more than seven years to build the Mecca of sports facilities – complete with turf soccer fields, an indoor bicycle track, a 5,000-seat arena, minor league teams, swimming facilities and more – devoted to every level of competition and training.

And as he gets closer to breaking ground on the 250-acre Chesterfield County project, his plan is getting even bolder, with underwater cameras to film swim meets and broadcast them over the Internet, and family entertainment venues.

“People will come to SportsQuest for a tournament, and while they are here, they will have a membership,” he said during a recent interview in the Boulders office park, where he has set up shop inside the offices of Timmons Engineering. “Every night there will be a Bonnie Raitt concert or a chili cook-off.” Read more

Fan retail strip gets pumped

In spring 2007, the Wilton Companies transformed a used car lot and garage at the intersection of West Cary and Lombardy streets in the Fan into retail space.

More than two years later, the first tenants are moving in.

Nirvana Salon & Spa arrived in September, and Fitness Together, a personal training studio, is planning a grand opening Nov. 13.

“It took a long time,” said broker Chris Francoise. “We entered at the high time of the market, and starting out the rates we were asking were a little high.”

And then the recession hit.

But since prices have adjusted and the economic outlook has improved, Francoise said things are looking up.

“People are still kicking tires and comparing rates, but there has definitely been a lot more activity,” he said.

Francoise said it took a little bit of time for the neighborhood to progress and become an attractive location.

“Like any sub-market in Richmond, I think incremental progress in that whole corridor has taken some time with residential and commercial to develop,” said Francoise.

While the timing may have been a bit early for the landlord, it’s just right for Sean Murphy, owner of the Fitness Together franchise.

“I found a good opportunity looking at today’s economy to grow the business better and get a stronger location,” said Murphy, who is moving his studio from the Brook Run Shopping Center near Lakeside.

Fitness Together is a personal training franchise with more than 500 locations worldwide. Murphy said each session is between $50 and $65 and offers one-on-one training.

“We offer a luxury service. People can go to a box gym and work out, but with us, we give one-on-one attention and guarantee results, so you spend a little more,” he said.

When the economy tanked in September 2008, Murphy said, clients started dropping. At one time, he was training between 30 and 40 people; that number is down to between 15 and 20.

Murphy wanted to move to the Fan to be more centrally located and to have the chance to draw in new clients. The new property also gives him 500 more square feet to work with (the new location is about 1,900 square feet). Currently he is the only trainer, but Murphy said he is interviewing other personal trainers

At the new location, Murphy said, he can serve between 50 and 60 clients.

The Gold’s Gym just around the corner doesn’t pose much competition, he said, adding that his current location is in front of an American Family Fitness.

“The clients we cater do, most don’t belong to big gyms because they don’t feel comfortable in them,” said Murphy. “Those that want extra activity, a gym compliments what we are trying to do.”

BizSense has recently written about the growing fitness-related industry here.

Al Harris covers commercial real estate for BizSense. Please send news tips to Al@richmondbizsense.com.

American Family Fitness to Temporarily Relocate Southside Location

RICHMOND, VA, September 3, 2008 – The Southside location of American Family Fitness, 9101 Midlothian Turnpike, will temporarily relocate to the former Office Max space in the Stein-Mart Festival Shopping Center, 9748 Midlothian Turnpike, in early November while a new location is built. The temporary 28,000-square-foot location will include an expanded and upgraded cardiovascular equipment area and all other amenities from the existing space except basketball, racquetball and pool facilities. All of these areas will be included in the new club when it opens next year. Read more

Pumping up the growth

New health clubs continue opening in Richmond, catering to an increasingly fragmented health/sports market.

In June, American Family Fitness opened a 90,000-sf club at Short Pump. The local company has seven locations which cater – as the name suggests – to the suburban family crowd.

Volume at American Family Fitness clubs (not including the one at Short Pump) has risen around 27% from 2005 through 2007, from an average of 340,000 annual visits per location to 435,000 annual visits per location. Read more