Vasa Fitness

[Pete]

Massive VASA Fitness to bring new life to old Sears property

As the Sears at SW 44th and Western nears its final closure date, plans have emerged to redevelop the property and add a large new fitness center.

Based in Utah, VASA Fitness now has 26 locations in that state as well as Colorado, Kansas and a new location is set to open soon in Tulsa. Typical amenities include and indoor lap pool, aerobics / group exercise and spin classes, a basketball court, free weight area, hot tub hyrdro-massage, raquetball courts, steam and sauna, tanning and childcare facilities.

Based on plans by the owner of the entire property (which is independent from Sears), VASA would be located to the north and the front half of the Sears building would be razed with the remainder split into smaller retail bays.

Similarly, the Sears Automotive Center at the corner would be remodeled into a retail strip center and pad sites will be added for satellite buildings.

The Sears closing follows the shuttering of the Target directly to the south. However, the Target property is already being redeveloped with a large AutoZone distribution center under construction and Dollar already open in part of that space.

The 160,000 square foot Sears store was built in 1965, includes and sits on 23.66 acres. It it set to close in September and is currently running a clearance sale.

[Pete]

[PaddyShack]

Do you know what, if any, type of remediation will need to happen for the conversion of the automotive center into restaurant/retail space?

[baralheia]

I could have sworn you reported on this several months ago, Pete... Did you end up having to pull the article or something?

Still sad watching Sears close, but hopefully this project and the available outparcels will breathe some new life into this corner... and it's encouraging to see that Vasa is already getting after it and construction is beginning.

[Pete]

I did report on this before but just now creating a separate thread, because it had been lumped in with the Sears property and as you can see, the fitness center is a completely separate development.

[catch22]

I could have sworn you reported on this several months ago, Pete... Did you end up having to pull the article or something?

Still sad watching Sears close, but hopefully this project and the available outparcels will breathe some new life into this corner... and it's encouraging to see that Vasa is already getting after it and construction is beginning.

I was thinking the same thing; I had thought I developed a premonition ability.

Glad to see this continue to move forward. It will be a major shot in the arm for this side of town.

[Pete]

[Pete]

VASA Fitness coming to 23rd & Penn

Plans are underway to convert the old Buy for Less at NW 23rd and Pennsylvania to a massive fitness center.

VASA Fitness of Orem, Utah will spend $5 million to convert the 59,000 square foot building into a huge workout complex.

Typical amenities include an indoor lap pool, aerobics/group exercise and spin classes, a basketball court, free weight area, hot tub hydro-massage, racquetball courts, steam and sauna, tanning and childcare facilities.

The building at 2500 N. Penn has been shuttered since the grocery chain closed its doors in late 2016.

Sonic Drive-In will soon start work on completely replacing their restaurant directly to the south. Oklahoma City University is to the immediate east.

As OKCTalk was first to report, VASA is well under construction on what will be its first Oklahoma City location just north of the closed Sears store at SW 44th & Western.


VASA currently has 38 locations in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas and a newly-opened site in Tulsa.

[fightlessllama]

I drive by this building all the time! While this is a really good get for the previously empty building, I have to say my imagination went a little wild imagining a mixed-use apartment development being perfect for this spot. Especially with the university right there and it being down the street from the future Penn Central development. Now I just have to daydream about the Shepard Mall location being the next Penn Central!

Also, talk about an area deserving of bike lanes and bus rapid transit! I consistently see more people riding their bike and sitting at the bus stops in this area then anywhere else in the city (many I imagine because it's their only option)

[Zorba]

I think this is a good development. I've always thought OKC lacked good gym options and am glad it is getting better. It'd be nice for me if they put one at Covell and I-35 but I'm not going to hold my breath.

[Pete]

Also, talk about an area deserving of bike lanes and bus rapid transit! I consistently see more people riding their bike and sitting at the bus stops in this area then anywhere else in the city (many I imagine because it's their only option)

I've noticed the same.

In fact, when I was taking the first photo in the article above, there were 5-6 people at the bus stop in the middle of the afternoon.

This intersection is in the middle of a really interesting spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds. You have OCU to the east, the increasingly expensive and upscale Gatewood just to the south, the historic Shephard neighborhood to the west and very much a working-class area to the north of OCU.

[Timshel]

Yeah. I was surprised and somewhat disheartened that this area didn't receive more attention as part of the Better Streets initiative. While better sidewalks will be nice, the amount of pedestrians and bikes in this area leads to dangerous situations on a daily basis. While part of my feelings are definitely selfish as I live in Shepherd, building up the bike and pedestrian infrastructure in this part of town would provide significant benefits and desparately needed added safety. It could also have the added benefit of speeding up development in this part of 23rd and the significant commercial building stock along Penn just north and south of 23rd, which I believe has a huge amount of potential.

[Brett]

The new VASA location on S. Western is really coming along.

[Pete]

The new VASA location on S. Western is really coming along.

I'll get there and take some photos and see if I can find an opening date.

They are also starting to get somewhat serious at 23rd & Penn, but most that work will be inside.

[Thomas Vu]

How does a gym with benefits and pictures like this cost $9.99?

*edit*
or even 21.99 still seems like really good value. Perhaps LA has distorted my since of value?

[Pete]

How does a gym with benefits and pictures like this cost $9.99?

That's a starting price; it goes up from there depending on what amenities you want to use.

[Thomas Vu]

That's a starting price; it goes up from there depending on what amenities you want to use.

You beat me mid edit. The other packages don't seem bad either. Last legit gym I was at I was paying ~30 and it only came with weights.

I know places like 10 gym and PF exist. 10 gym seemed cramped, and PF doesn't have anything beyond weights. I'd gladly pay the extra price for open space and all the other stuff.

[Pete]

Location on S. Western just north of SW 44th nearing completion:

[Pete]

23rd & Penn:

[AP]

I forgot all about this and now I'm really hyped again because I'm currently under contract on a house in Shepherd. This is awesome.

[Timshel]

Welcome to the neighborhood!

[Pete]

These are for the southside location which opens Oct. 5th (from their FB page):

[Swanky]

Do we know if the 23rd/Penn location will have a pool?

[Pete]

Do we know if the 23rd/Penn location will have a pool?

It will. It's shown in their plans.

[bombermwc]

Anyone else care to guess how long it will last on the south side? Golds bought out my old gym at 89th/Shields and then closed the Golds less than 2 years later. The next closest locations are on 104th, so it feels like this was placed based on geography and not based on projected customer base.