A Planet Fitness is set to move into the space formerly occupied by a Big Lots in San Pablo.
On Tuesday, the San Pablo Planning Commission unanimously approved a conditional use permit allowing the Planet Fitness to operate 24 hours daily in the shopping center at 13222 San Pablo Ave. (at San Pablo Avenue and San Pablo Dam Road).
Planning Commission Chairman Paul Morris called a new fitness gym in San Pablo “really exciting.”
“It’s been a long time since your competition, 24 Hour Fitness, closed in the Town Centre many many ears ago,” he said.
Planet Fitness will operate in a 26,787 square foot building once occupied by the Big Lots, which recently relocated to the town centre shopping center across San Pablo Dam Road.
The gym, which could open in as soon as 9 to 10 months, will feature 10,403 square feet of workout area that includes over 100 pieces of cardio equipment and 80 aimed at strength training. The facility will set aside 1,372 square feet for Beauty Angel therapy, machine-administered massage and tanning. Just over 2,100 square feet will be set aside for locker and shower areas.
Planet Fitness focuses on low-cost memberships: It has two at $10 and $20 per month with a joining fee of $1 and $39. To keep cost down, no classes are offered, nor is a swimming pool or racquet ball court.
The facility will staff 14 full-time employees, and staff will be monitoring the facility 24 hours a day along with high definition cameras that cover the gym and face the parking lot.
A full-time certified trainer walks the floor to answer questions and show members the correct way to work out and use equipment.
