Neshaminy Mall Getting State-Of-Art Gym

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —Tony Chowdhury has big plans for the Neshaminy Mall.

As malls continue to lose customers as shopping trends change, the Neshaminy Mall is struggling to maintain its place as a retail anchor in the region.

Well, Chowdhury has a plan to revive the township landmark.

The founder and chief executive of Fusion Gyms wants to fill the space of the mall's shuttered Macy's department store. He expects to close the deal within the week.

He's hoping to construct a state-of-the-art facility of 250,000 square feet inside and 100,000 square feet outside in hopes of giving the mall "a shot in the arm."

Chowdhury has tried before, he told Patch Monday morning.

"I've been working on this deal for 25 months," he said. "I looked to acquire this space five years ago and then two years ago. I'm now the last man standing."

Fusion Gyms has two locations in Philadelphia and a third that opened on Lincoln Highway in Fairless Hills.

Chowdhury plans to take the Macy's space and transform it into a vast fitness center with a 9-hole golf course, 30 golf simulators, 20 pickleball courts, and a Las Vegas-style swimming pool. Outside, there will be another eight pickleball courts.

"This will be the talk of the town," he said. "We have the full support of the mayor and the town."

Chowdhury knows, though, that the project will take some time to complete.

He estimates 12-16 months for the gym to be completed at the Macy's, which closed in 2017.

Chowdhury believes the gym will draw foot traffic to the mall.

"Where others see obstacles, we see opportunities," he said. "Malls are dying but we can turn them into town centers which the community needs. Everything has gone from offline to online. But people have to go to places for entertainment and service-driven business."

Since the gym will take a while to construct, Chowdhury is setting up a mini-version in the township.

Chowdhury said he's planning by the end of January to open a temporary space on Knights Road that will include a 35,000-square-foot gym with 12 pickleball courts and a basketball court.

He's also taking advantage of pickleball's popularity.

"Pickleball is huge," he said. "But everyone is just converting old tennis courts and basketball courts."

Space can also be limited for people to find pickleball courts. Chowdhury said he would include it in gym membership where people won't have to pay to use the courts by the hour.

He also is pleased to open a gym where his family got its start in America in Bensalem.

"When my family first came to America, we lived in Bensalem," Chowdhury said. "My goal was to always come back. I'm going to build the American Dream that my father chased."

(Photo Courtesy of Fusion Gyms)