24 Fitness Opens on Lankershim

Just like the old adage from Field of Dreams, if you build it, they will come.

24 Hour Fitness has opened their brand-new state-of-the-art 43,000-square foot facility in North Hollywood, and they came.  At 6 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, they opened their doors for the first time. Within an hour, the place was packed.

“It’s hard to believe this just opened today,” said Roberto Casandro, 34, who lives with his wife and three kids on Sherman Way in North Hollywood. “My wife and I were just going out for some lunch, and we saw the signs and came in–and it’s amazing! All these people! Looks like this place has been open for years.”

Indeed, walking into the shining new facility on opening day was like walking into a teeming village. People of all ages were busy working out, lifting weights, cycling, taking Pilates, Zumba and other classes, doing yoga, swimming, socializing and more. This is a place to work out and maintain health. But it’s also a place to interact with one’s community.

Open 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 24 Hour Fitness Clubs, of which there are 68 facilities in the greater L.A. region, offer a safe and genial environment to meet people, and to be met.

“Part of being a member is that social interaction you get from being here,” said Jeremy Franke, 35, a 24 Hour Fitness district manager. “That camaraderie goes a long way in providing motivation to work out. Friends encourage other friends to come here and stay healthy. “

A personal trainer for several years before joining the company, Franke admits that some days even his motivation is scarce. “ Sometimes you need someone to push you,” he said, “to get you to dedicate an hour to yourself and your own fitness program.”

Just around the corner from the recently re-invented and across the street from the thriving new , the facility is in an ideal location for thousands of members who live in or work in the vicinity. With 21 certified trainers on site, and a vast assemblage of state-of-the-art equipment, it affords this facility offers its members a lot of motivation.

Manager Emre Ozgur, 31, who used to manage the Upland location, came to NoHo a month ago, and said he expected a big turn-out.

“Members at our other locations have known about this facility opening,” he said, “and many live near here and have been waiting for this.

Also a former personal trainer, Ozgur has been with the company for three years.

“In Burbank we also opened a new facility of this same size today,” he said, explaining that word-of-mouth in their other facilities for months – in addition to free 7-day passes being given out – ensured a big turn-our at both locations.

“There’s an excitement and energy we get from all our grand openings We were ready for this,” he said. “It’s a great feelings, because there’s a lot of locals who have been waiting for this, and a lot of members who have been waiting for a new place closer to home. Now they’ve got it. I anticipated a big crowd, but not this warm of a reception from the community. “

“The response we get from the community is very warm,” said Franke. “It helps that there’s a great community resurgence here in NoHo, in this neighborhood, and a  wonderful community. People are always out, exploring, doing stuff. I came out at 9 pm the other night and there were more people out here than during the day!”

Asked about his personal motivations, Franke said that helping people to better their own lives is affirmative work.

“Supporting our team members is what it’s about for me,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons I get excited to come to work every day, to help people reach their goals. And with the obesity epidemic, we’re well suited to help the community and society."

With a network of more than 400 clubs around the country, members can get a work-out even when they’re far from home.

“My wife and I are celebrating our 11th anniversary today,” Franke said. “We go to Hawaii often,  and there are several clubs there. Soon as we get there, we find the closest club, do a work-out. And then we have fun.”

is the  largest privately owned membership fitness center in the world with 425 clubs in America, employing over 20,000 people. Headquartered in San Ramon, California, it was founded in 1983 by Mark Mastrov as a single gym called 24 Hour Nautilus. In 1994, 24 Hour Nautilus acquired the Southern California-based Family Fitness Centers chain, and redubbed the company 24 Hour Fitness.

The NoHo facility has 75 employees, and offers a wide variety of classes. A quick tour reveals quickly why 24 Hour Fitness facilities around America have been such an ongoing success story. The company goes out of their way to make each facility as comfortable and clean as possible; natural lighting adds a healthy glow to the proceedings;  individual TV screens on much of the cardio equipment is a great plus, while tile-floored locker rooms with private showers are more like the bathrooms of fine hotels than the usual concrete bunker-like  locker rooms in other gyms.

“Our designers take a lot of pride in determining what people want in health clubs, and delivering it,” Franke said.

“Also, we’ve been blessed by finding great locations,” he continued. “This is such a growing area, there’s unlimited potential here. Our rates are competitive, and are posted on our Web site.”

With a vital Green program that minimizes the use of energy and paper, and with ample bike parking in close proximity to the Metro, this facility is offering the community the opportunity to work out in a safe, clean and extremely amiable venue.

“When people become members at our clubs,” Franke said with a knowing smile, “they stay forever. It’s a very comfortable place, very friendly. And when you work out, you feel good. So there’s a lot of good feelings here.”

24 Hour Fitness,  5300 Lankershim Blvd., Ste 100, North Hollywood. Tel: 818.738.1798.