South Orange Fitness Center Set To Occupy Former Animal Shelter Building

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — It looks like a locally owned fitness center has won the right to take over the former home of the Jersey Animal Coalition (JAC).

On Tuesday, South Orange Village officials announced that Run Jump Lift - CrossFit in South Orange was officially recommended for a long-term lease at the former JAC building at 298 Walton Avenue.

The selection will allow village officials to adopt a resolution to direct the preparation of a redevelopment plan and lease for the fitness company’s use, village officials stated.

In a memo from the 298 Walton Avenue Re-Use Committee to the South Orange Board of Trustees, committee members wrote that Run, Jump, Lift (RJL) is a fitness/training center that is “somewhat unconventional from the typical gym.”

“The operation does not hold classes of large groups at scheduled times,” committee members wrote. “Instead, the model is based on members arriving on their own schedule and working out, with guidance and encouragement of the staff. As a result, the traffic is limited and spread sporadically throughout the open hours. In addition, many members, walk, run or bicycle to the facility. As a result, RJL indicated that to date and in the future they anticipate no need for additional parking beyond the existing 15 spaces.”

RJL also indicated that it planned to participate in community activities, such as SOFit, as well as offer free or discounted programs for seniors and students, committee members stated in their recommendation.

According to the committee, RJL proposes to operate its business from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, with indoor and some outdoor activities, including accessing the River Greenway when completed.

“For all of the foregoing reasons, the committee finds that Run, Jump, Lift is the most suitable for the site and the neighborhood, provides comparable “public” benefit, and provides the most financial benefit to the village and its taxpayers,” members concluded.

Read the full memo here.

“We are very excited to have them as our neighbor and look forward to working with Run Jump Lift and South Orange to make the woods, park and River Greenway a gateway for access to family recreation and fitness in South Orange,” the Farrell Field Park Conservancy stated on a Facebook post Tuesday.

Conservancy members said that they hope the new relationship will help to eventually provide easy bike and walking commutes in the future for South Orange and Maplewood residents.

“Thank you to Sheena Collum and South Orange Village for making the process fair and thorough,” the conservancy stated.

According to an online petition titled "Run Jump Lift is Best Choice for New Tenant of Former JAC Building":

“Malcolm Chisholm of Run Jump Lift has been a wonderful tenant for the past six months and proven that his business fits well into this neighborhood. He will provide a low-impact business that does not bring car traffic or require additional parking, and will compliment the River Greenway project with his clients using the running and bike trails.”

The petition gathered 274 signatures.

The South Orange Board of Trustees hosted a public meeting on Dec. 1 to inform the community about the plan to present a five-year contract to one of four bidders, each of which has a different vision for the now-defunct animal shelter,

JAC administrators had partially blamed their decision to close the shelter due to lack of support from South Orange and Maplewood.

• See related article: South Orange No-Kill Animal Shelter Closing

The choices – which can be seen more in-depth in the Dec. 12 memo - included:

• People for Animals – Proposed a “strict seven-day sheltering service” for the Village of South Orange for lost and stray animals, in addition to spay and neuter services
• Run Jump Lift – Proposed a locally owned health and fitness center
• The Wagmore Inn – Proposed a kennel and grooming service
• South Mountain YMCA – Proposed aftercare for 35 children on weeknights, as well as summer camps and other community events

In a previous request for proposals, village officials wrote that the property is located in a designated rehabilitation area as defined under the New Jersey Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.

Village officials sought proposals that address the following goals:

• "The adaptive re-use of the building formerly occupied by the Jersey Animal Coalition as an animal shelter, preserving and utilizing existing structure and the creation of a use and occupancy that is in scale and compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and the ongoing Department of Public Works operations on the same site"
• "Creation of uses which enhance the quality of life in the village and which are consistent with the character of the community"

The property is a portion of Block 2301 Lot 1, which is a 20-acre parcel which also houses the Village’s Department of Public Works. The portion of the property being offered consists of a 5,400 square-foot building, attached parking lot and fenced rear yard area.

“It is the intention of the village to authorize and approve any prospective lease and occupancy through the adoption of a redevelopment plan authorizing the use and thereafter the designation of a redeveloper and the execution of a redevelopment agreement,” South Orange officials stated.

Photo: South Orange Village

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