Arlington Heights has a new LA Fitness just in time for the holidays and New Year’s resolutions. For Arlington Heights residents wanting a multi-purpose sports and fitness club, the latest fitness center — among many fitness centers in town — might prove to be the best. The new fitness center is in the former location of the Ashley Furniture store in the Town & Country Shopping Center at Palatine Road and Arlington Heights Road. Construction to redevelop the retail space started in July 2016. Construction crews met their target date to open LA Fitness by the end of the year; LA Fitness opened this morning, December 23, 2016 after Village of Arlington Heights inspectors were at the location Thursday.
The LA Fitness facility in Arlington Heights is one of the company’s largest LA Fitness locations with just over 50,000 square feet. The location is also the largest fitness and sports-only facility in Arlington Heights. The Northwest Community Hospital wellness center is an 83,000 square foot facility, but much of that space includes medical treatment areas and offices. For comparison, the largest Xsport Fitness location in Arlington Heights at Dundee Road and Ridge Avenue is about 34,000 square feet. Zip Fitness on Rand Road is about 23,000 square feet.
The LA Fitness Arlington Heights location includes a swimming pool, a basketball gym, a personal training studio, a group exercise studio, a cycling studio, a cardiovascular area (with treadmills, steppers, stair machines, ellipticals) a circuit or progressive resistance machine area (Free Motion, Hoist, Nautilus, Cybex machines), a free weight area (including Hammer Strength machines), an open space stretching area, a Kids Klub and a comfortable lounge with a flat panel TV.
The interior is decorated with a warm Los Angeles-like tone with a California sunrise or sunset decor and resort styling, as opposed to harsh industrial decor of many other fitness centers. Ceiling lights involve non-harsh lighting that reflects upward. Many popular machines are available in multiples, and there is considerable spacing between machines.
Centrally located in Arlington Heights, LA Fitness is a welcome addition to a community that already has high fitness demand with two successful Xsport Fitness locations (far north and far south); and several other fitness centers and training studios, including Commuter Fitness (downtown), Fitness 19 (west), Zip Fitness (north), and the NCH Wellness Center (south).
LA Fitness was founded in 1984 by Chin Yi, Chairman & CEO and Louis Welch, President & CEO with one location in Covina, California near east Los Angeles. The business was rapidly expanded in southern California and Arizona.
In 2000, the LA Fitness acquired a large Georgia health club chain, and currently has about 26 clubs in Georgia.
LA Fitness expanded rapidly across the United States, adding about 180 news fitness centers from 2006 to 2009.
In 2007, the company expanded outside of the United States, acquiring six fitness clubs, in Toronto, Canada, and marking a milestone of the 200th club opening.
The first Illinois LA Fitness club was opened in Evanston in 2006. In the Chicago area, LA Fitness took over many shuttered Bally Fitness clubs, by redeveloping them or opening them in new locations. The Mount Prospect club on Rand Road near Arlington Heights was moved east near Rand Road and Central Road. In total, in the United States, LA Fitness completed the acquisition of 171 clubs from Bally Total Fitness for $153M on November 30, 2011.
There are currently 42 LA Fitness locations in the Chicago area from New Lenox to Chicago to South Elgin to Round Lake Beach, and now including Arlington Heights.
In March 2009, LA Fitness marked the opening of the 300th club in Brampton (North) Canada.
On July 2, 2012, LA Fitness completed acquisition of all 33 Lifestyle Family Fitness Clubs in Florida.
Arlington Heights is becoming a community with several successful calorie-oriented service businesses. “Calories-in” with thriving dining businesses downtown and throughout, and “calories out” with several well-run fitness businesses in all sections of town.
LA Fitness is located at …
345 East Palatine Road
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Phone 224-318-1447
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