The opening of UFC Gym on the site of the former King Kullen at 2020 Jericho Turnpike in New Hyde Park has been delayed until June, a company executive reported last week.
“We initially had planned to have that thing opened for workouts in early spring,” said Adam Sedlack, UFC senior vice president. “We’re going fast right now.”
Sedlack said permits required to renovate the site into 24-hour fitness center in 37,000-square-foot facility had been delayed by Hurricane Sandy.
The New Hyde Park location, which had been anchor store for the strip mall in which it is located, has remained vacant since King Kullen moved to a former Pathmark location in Garden City Park last October.
Sedlack said UFC Gym is currently using a 5,000 square-foot location at 1596 Union Turnpike in New Hyde Park to sign up members.
The showroom, he said, has everything the gym’s going to have in place.
Jason Figorski, general manager of the UFC Gym in New Hyde Park, said 1,000 customers have signed up at the showroom. People have been drawn to the location through direct mail solicitations and by word of mouth, he said.
The New Hyde Park facility will be the first UFC gym outside of California and Hawaii.
“We wanted to get to New York. That was important to us,” Sedlack said last September when he appeared before the Town of North Hempstead board for site plan approval. “I think we can come in and fill a gap that hasn’t been filled yet.”
Sedlack said the company sees Long Island as an underserved market for gym facilities and selected New Hyde Park as a central location in the region. Its target demographic is 40-year-old parents of children and, Sedlock said, the demographics and income level of the immediate area was a good fit.
Subscription costs for the gym will start out at $50 to $99 monthly, depending on the level of membership individuals and families select.
UFC Gym will offer classes in a range of fitness regimens, including cycling, Zumba and various martial arts.
Sedlack said the classes and the instruction members receive from instructors distinguishes UFC GYM from competitors.
“We have more classes, more interactivity with customers,” Sedlack said.
Sedlack said UFC Gym will have between eight and 12 full-time employees at the facility.
