Pilates Studio Wins Conditional Use Approval From Newtown Township

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday gave final approval for a new Pilates Fitness Studio to open at the Village at Newtown Shopping Center.

The supervisors voted unanimously to grant franchise owner Kimberly Patten conditional use approval to open Bodyrok Newtown at the former site of the Newtown Book Store.

Under the township’s ordinance, the use is considered an athletic facility, which required conditional use approval by the township. The township’s planning commission in early August voted unanimously to recommend approval.

Bodyrok is a national franchise that takes a traditional workout and turns it up a notch by adding strength training exercises and high-energy music to keep the heart rate up the entire 45-minute class.

“Our method includes a greater variety of exercises, longer segments, and quicker transitions, resulting in a more intense, sweat-fueled fast-paced Pilates workout,” says its website.

The new studio will feature 14 proprietary reformers, lockers, two restrooms, a water-filling station, and a retail wall.

In other action at the meeting, the supervisors approved a certificate of appropriateness for Amma’s South Indian Cuisine to install decorative outside awnings at its future home at Goodnoe Corner next to Jules Thin Crust Pizza.

The restaurant will be opening inside the former Zoe’s Kitchen at 2820 North Sycamore Street.

Amma’s South India Cuisine has built a large following and a reputation for good food at its locations in University City, Center City and in Voorhees, New Jersey.

The restaurant, owned and operated by Sathish Varadhan, specializes in homestyle cooking from the southern regions of India and is named “Amma’s” after the Tamil word meaning “mother.”

After immigrating to the United States in 2010, Varadhan opened his first restaurant in Voorhees, New Jersey. He has since opened locations in Center City and University City across the river in Philadelphia.

Amma’s menu features innovative dishes based on centuries-old South India culinary traditions. The chefs use fresh produce, all-natural ingredients, and freshly ground spices, to create food that is like veetu sapadu (homemade).

Another conditional use request on the agenda for Love and Honey Chicken was postponed to the board’s September 25 meeting at 7 p.m.