LA Fitness to Join BJ's in E. Garden City Complex

The West Coast-based LA Fitness will be bringing one of its gyms to East Garden City.

According to Long Island Business News, "LA Fitness has signed a long-term lease for 55,000 square feet at 711 Stewart Ave. in Garden City."

In October of 2011, it was announced that the Jericho-based Metropolitan Realty Associates had obtained a $36.72 million loan from Mesa West Capital to convert the 335,000-square-foot commercial building at 711 Stewart Ave. in East Garden City to a mixed-use project including retail, medical office and office.

Upon completion, retailer BJ's Wholesale Club will occupy 121,000 square feet of the repositioned property, which has been renamed Garden City Square.

BJ's is currently set to open in September of 2012, LIBN reports.

The site covers more than 17 acres adjacent to Roosevelt Field Mall. The property was 43 percent occupied at the time of the acquisition.

According to MRA, the building, which was originally built in 1947 as an industrial building and occupied by Grumman Industries, was converted to its existing use in 1984 by its previous owner, AVR Realty.