At the new Vida Fitness on U Street, gym-goers are greeted by Lady Gaga songs pulsing through the surround-sound speakers on every floor. You might think you’ve walked into hip a hair salon with changing LED-lit walls, but ascend the atrium and there are three floors of fitness facilities—plus a rooftop pool and bar.
Vida Fitness opened its doors last week in a newly-renovated building at 1612 U Street, Northwest. Owner and president of Urban Adventures Companies David von Storch unveiled a 51,000-square-foot space with four floors of cardio, strength, fitness studios. The total cost: $13 million.
While the fitness-and-spa facility is still undergoing some construction (mainly on the roof), the lobby, second, and third floor are open for use to members. The second floor includes at least 90 cardio machines, each with their own TV screens. The same floor houses a large abs-and-stretching room, where ab classes are held every 15 minutes during peak hours.
The third floor is dedicated to strength training, complete with free weights and weight-lifting machines. There’s also a separate fitness studio and a room filled with more than 33 spin bikes. More than 150 different fitness classes will be offered at this location.
While the gym boasts modern equipment and decor, such as an illuminated wall that runs from the first floor to the fourth, the architecture of the 1921 building was preserved. The interior walls on all floors feature exposed brick with large windows to flood the gym with natural light.
The gym’s biggest draws are sure to be its two endless pools and the rooftop deck, called the Penthouse Club. On the second floor there is a room dedicated to swim training, with a pair of pools that allow you to swim against a simulated current. An underwater mirror allows swimmers to check their form.
The Penthouse Club, slated for completion in August, will be a private rooftop pool with food and beverage services. It will include a 60-foot pool, cabanas, a communal fire pit, and a bar. A separate sun deck and garden will be below the rooftop club, adjacent to one of the six fitness studios.
Basic memberships start at $89 a month; additional fees apply for access to the rooftop pool and bar.
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