Core Fitness Takes Over Iowa City New Life Fitness World Location

Do you remember what was like back when it opened in 1986?

Tracy Davis does.

Davis, 52, now the co-owner of the local health club chain was at the time a 26-year-old college student when he got a $1,000 bank loan to help pay for a life time membership at the newfangled New Life Fitness.

26 years later, Davis owns the building.

Boy how things change.

As of 2 p.m. Monday afternoon New Life Fitness World, 2220 Mormon Trek Boulevard, became the third Core Fitness location owned by Davis and fellow owner Rick Novak, 44.

The name isn't the only thing that is changing according to the Core Fitness management team. The new location will have all new state-of-the-art equipment, all new landscaping, cosmetic changes to the gym's appearance inside and outside, new carpet (sadly no longer vintage 1986), more lighting and a new cycling room in what now is the raquetball area.

In addition, the gym will be converted to Core's 24-hour gym model.

"I think people are going to be extremely impressed once this is completely finished," Davis said.

Novak seconded this notion.

"When you come into a gym, the feel of the place is extremely important. We want to give this place a really clean feel to it," Novak said. "When people come in here, they'll know it is Core."

May will be a transitional month for the members of New Life Fitness and the 20 current staff members before New Life will close for renovations in June and July before a grand reopening in August.

Signs of this transition were clear Tuesday afternoon: a man in the truck took the New Life Fitness sign down, as employees, now clad in Core Fitness shirts, tried to explain the changes to long time members who filtered occassionally into the gym with questions.

Tina Robinson, general manager for Core, said they will make efforts to try to integrate the current New Life staff into what they are trying to do.

"We're going to let them know what we're about and they can decide if we are a good fit for them," Robinson said.

Robinson said she has been receiving several calls from curious members over the past day, and she wanted to reassure current Core members that there won't be changes to the other locations and that current Core members can indeed work at all three locations.

Davis said that current New Life members, who will face expiring contracts at the end of May, will be offered discounted Core Fitness memberships and will be able to work out at the other two Core Locations while the renovations are taking place.

"That way they won't be without a gym," Davis said.

Staying mostly the same, with some improvements, will be the pool and spa area. Davis said these areas were part of what interested Core in buying the location from its former owner, Woo Jin Jung, who also owns the New Life Fitness in Cedar Rapids.

The Core co-owners and Jung have been in talks about New Life for over a year and half, and they gained momentum this year.

"The more we looked at it, the more it made sense for everyone involved," Novak said.

Novak added that location was another major reason for Core's interest in the facility, as now members can attend whatever location is most convenient.

Davis said the Core managers intend to build on the classes already offered at New Life Fitness to provide the wide variety of classes that Core Fitness is known for.

"We feel that they already have a strong foundation here to build on," Davis said.