MERIDEN — Night owls and daytime fitness fans soon will have a new place to work out downtown when Cardio Express opens this summer at 290 Pratt St.
MERIDEN — Night owls and daytime fitness fans soon will have a new place to work out downtown when Cardio Express opens this summer at 290 Pratt St.
“There is such a large market and there is not a lot of competition in Meriden,” said Edward Fogarty. “There is a lot of people who don’t have a club.”
The Pratt Street office and industrial building will be Fogarty’s third club in Central Connecticut. He operates Cardio Express centers at 1267 S. Broad St., Wallingford and at 117 Washington Ave. in North Haven. The clubs are open 24 hours a day.
Fogarty had always wanted to open a gym in the city and, as recent as two years ago, he was trying to work a deal at the Meriden Parkade on the east side. But plans for a Lowe’s Home Improvement Center in the Parkade made long-term leases impossible. He eventually met with 290 Pratt St. Associates LLC partner Steven Ancona and negotiated a deal for 14,000 square feet in the lower part of the building.
“This building offers a lot of interesting features and has such a mixed use there,” Fogarty said. “There’s a population built right into the building.”
The three-story building, also known as the Meriden Enterprise Center, is home to a diverse range of office and industrial tenants including, Senior Whole Health Services, Shona Gallery and Elks Manufacturing. Ancona agreed to renovate 5,000 square feet of old factory space and Fogarty is reworking the front and some of the offices.
“It’s phenomenal,” Ancona said. “It’s an amazing commodity for the tenants in the building, and brings exposure. It lights up a dark stretch of road at night and we could not be happier.”
The Meriden Enterprise Center was built in 1892 and, despite improvements by the owners, retains some of the original woodwork in the ceilings and walls.
Fogarty intends to keep the rustic beams to give the gym a one-of-a-kind look.
“It’s going to be gorgeous,” Fogarty said. “I expect it to be our best club yet.”
It certainly is Cardio Express’s largest investment, and also will be the New England showcase for equipment supplier Star Trac of California.
Fogarty said city residents haven’t been served well by the health club industry and the only alternatives are the Meriden YMCA downtown or to travel outside of town.
John Krause, who is also a part owner, will manage the Pratt Street club.
Cardio Express is expected to open on Pratt Street in July and will offer classes in fitness training, abdominal work, cardio bootcamp, and nutrition programs. Members will have 24-hour access with ample parking on site. Members who work out at the Broad Street or Washington Avenue locations will be welcome at the Pratt Street gym.
“It’s great to have another use in that facility,” said Economic Development Director Peggy Brennan. “It will definitely attract people downtown.”
Fogarty is working with local architect and City Councilor George McGoldrick on designing the club, and said he is familiar with the city’s plans to raze the Hub property and return the area to green space. Fogarty believes those improvements will help his business in the future.
“This city seems like it’s on the way back,” Fogarty said. “In two years, that street is going to look totally different.”
