[EVG photo from spring 2013]
Workers this morning are removing the scaffolding and construction netting from the incoming New York Sports Club at 28 Avenue A... A reader sent us this photo of the exterior...
Hmm. Thoughts?
As we first reported back in April 2013, New York Sports Club will be operating on the second through fifth floors here between East Second Street and East Third Street. Above the former Gracefully, which closed on Nov. 18.
So workers will need to remove that old Gracefully sign too.
The familiar Burger-Klein sign disappeared back in July. Furniture seller Burger-Klein occupied the building as early as 1939. Read more about the history of the Burger-Klein building at Off the Grid.
The NYSC website says that the gym will open this fall.
Previously on EV Grieve:
RUMOR: New York Health & Racquet Club taking over the space above Gracefully on Avenue A (24 comments)
New York Sports Club in the works for Avenue A
Sidewalk bridge and scaffolding arrive ahead of planned New York Sports Club on Avenue A
New York Sports Club says hello on Avenue A
Familiar Burger-Klein sign has disappeared from Avenue A
20 comments:
It's sure the winner in the Ugliest New Architectural Atrocity Award.
Why can't architects ever leave well enough alone? Do they have to piss all over everything?
All the verve and appeal of a multi-story car park.
So the developer just did a major rework that turned an iconic facade into blah to attract a gym? People pay $$$ for quality period stuff and people/companies pay $$$ to do biz in a building with a period facade like that.
wow a big step down from International Style to suburban aluminum siding style.
no words.
You have got to be kidding me. Someone actually got paid to design this piece of crap?
Screw the fancy new gym, join Dolphin down the street, $99\six months right now holiday special!
No i have no fiduciary relationship with them, just a longtime member who appreciates them keeping the prices righteous.
NYSC isn't "fancy." And Dolphin doesn't offer any classes, whereas NYSC offers hundreds a week and most are free. There are a billion NYSCs around and you can go to any of them for one reasonable monthly membership fee. And you know, if someone wants to go to a "fancy" gym, who cares? Different gyms cater to different needs. I'd have five different gym memberships if I could afford it.
NYSCs tend to work with existing architecture. Plus they rent/lease their spaces. So if anyone wants to get mad about losing that wonderful old signage, please get mad at the landlord/developer, not the club.
Finally, I hope the new Avenue A location takes some of the crowd away from Irving.
Your pal,
A defensive gym rat who goes to NYSC
NYSC is indeed a fancy gym (compared to any other gym in the neighborhood anyway) and about 4-5 times the yearly cost of almost any other non-fancy gym in the neighborhood.
I looked into getting in on their "founders rate" for the Ave A location and what they called a great discount was in my opinion an obscene price for a gym.
I only care because of what this means to the ongoing shift towards everything in the neighborhood becoming more expensive than most long-time residents can afford without winning the lottery or robbing a bank
I don't want to argue with you, 4:01, because what's fancy or expensive ito one person is not to another. But NYSC is definitely not the most expensive gym in the neighborhood. It's not nearly as expensive as Equinox or David Barton ... Crunch is a bit more per month. Not to say anything of all the really costly little boutique training gyms. I even checked out the YMCA last year and was flabbergasted at how much they charged (almost $50 more per month than my NYSC membership). I hear what you're saying but I just don't see this particular gym as a harbinger of luxury.
Well define fancy i guess. From what i gather nysc will cost you about $1,200 per year. Dolphin would be $198 at the current rate, though they sometimes run a special that is $149/year.
So you tell me.
You'll get no argument from me that Dolphin is not as fancy as NYSC, but NYSC is hardly the fanciest gym around. My NYSC membership (which costs $960 a year, not $1200) includes entrance to all the clubs, which I find very beneficial as it allows me to fit in a workout wherever I happen to be that day. My membership also allows me to take many different kinds of classes at no additional charge. Dolphin doesn't have either of those things. On the other hand, NYSC doesn't have attached juice bars or Kiehl's products in the locker room or giant fluffy towels, and only about three of them have pools (and all three pools are not good for much else but wading), and *that's* the sort of thing I personally consider "fancy."
I'm sure Dolphin is a great deal for certain kinds of gym goers, but it's inconvenient to me, doesn't offer what I like, and frankly if I'm going to be in some dank windowless space for cheap I'd rather find myself a good old-fashioned grubby boxing gym.
Nay-Sayers say Nay!
I am one of those "certain types of gym goers" to whom close to a thousand dollars cash money, every year, is a very major consideration.
PS good luck finding a cheap grubby boxing gym in Manhattan. I see the 'scenesters' are opening a place on Bleeker.
C'mon man, let's not start fights where there needn't be one. All I mean when I say "certain type of gym goer" is maybe not a hardcore or super-passionate one. If you just want a decent place near you to get a basic workout done, I'm sure Dolphin's great. But some of us pretty much live at the gym when we're not at work, because the gym keeps us sane and if you have to be addicted to something … I'm not saying a thousand bucks a year is something to sneeze at, but I am saying it's worth it to me and I don't think NYSC is exorbitant or overcharging for what they offer. And believe me I miss the last grubby EV boxing gym after it left 6th Street but I'm sure there are still a few hidden on the island if you know who to ask.
tl;dr: I just don't think NYSC is some portent of assholism, it's unpretentious and fairly priced
NYSC is mostly for fancy whites. There, Moe.
there are still some good grungy boxing gyms in the flatiron. pretty cheap, too, all things considered.
No matter what kind of business is taking over, where was the need to turn a unique facade into another bland, suburbanized aluminum and glass box?
This new breed of developers would replace the Empire State Building with another generic glass tower if they could getaway with it.
When is this opening up? Really surprised they're not opened for the New Years resolution crowd
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