Altoona Alliance Church sells space to fitness center

A visit to the former Value City Department Store building will soon offer both spiritual and physical enrichment.

The building purchased in 2009 by the Altoona Alliance Church will also be home to a fitness center and several other ministries, Pastor Tim McGarvey said.

The church recently sold about 20,000 square feet of the 72,000-square-foot building to Lancaster businessman Art Thomas who plans to open a Planet Fitness franchise in the southern end of the building at 3220 Pleasant Valley Blvd.

"A portion of the building did not fit into our plans so we started looking at leasing," McGarvey said. "We found it would be best to wall off part of the building and sell a portion of it."

Planet Fitness, which hopes to open in mid-July, is a good fit for the building.

"We wanted to be helpful and give back to the community; they have been so supportive of our church since the fire," McGarvey said. "We believe in a way a fitness center fits into that plan as a way to give back to the community."

Thomas, who owns franchise rights in five Pennsylvania counties - including Blair, Cambria and Centre - and five counties in New Jersey, is excited about bringing Planet Fitness to Altoona.

"I talked to various franchise owners before deciding to go with Planet Fitness. The excitement in the voices of the owners, you couldn't disguise," said Thomas, president and CEO of Altoona Planet Fitness LLC. "We will have plenty of free weights and machines. You will see tons of cardio equipment and a lot of work stations. We want people to get in shape and feel comfortable. We want to create an atmosphere they will enjoy going to."

It is not unusual for a church and fitness center to share the same building. Thomas said.

"I think it is a good mix - you can go to church and come over and work out," Thomas said. "We will do what we can to beautify that property with landscaping and new paving."

Meanwhile, McGarvey said the church has made several moves to hold its services since the May 6, 2007, destroyed the church at 17th Street and McMahon Road.

The Alliance Church will also be home to several other ministries.

Precious Life is using some space for storage.

The Arrow Project, a nonprofit Christian foster care agency, will use some space, and plans are in the works for a preschool to use some of the Sunday school rooms. There may also be a counseling ministry using some of the space, McGarvey said.

Fitness Equipment Leasing Equates to Monetary Health and fitness

Exercise equipment renting could be the response to the actual growing interest in health and fitness amenities. Health-consciousness is slowly beginning to stir one of the public. With it arrives an awareness from the importance of exchanging an Body Solid Deluxe Vertical Knee Raise and Dip Station Power Tower GVKR82 obese inactive body for any powerful lithe entire body.

However there are many methods to accomplish this goal a gym regular membership will Body-Solid StrengthTech EXM 2500S Home Gym always be probably the most well-liked choices.

The benefits these types of outfits acquire through leasing exercise equipment are plenty of. To survive a brand new fitness center has to maintain expenses as low as possible. Leasing instead of purchasing enables you to do this.

Fitness equipment renting enables you to have access to brand new technology or specialized equipment as soon as it might be available without committing your company to some substantial monetary outlay. Constantly upgrading your facilities is an important factor in remaining in front of the competitors.

The extra financial benefit of never becoming tied to outdated gear can be substantial.

By not tying upward a sizable chunk of the funds within gear Powerline BSGLPX Leg Press for BSG10X Home Gym you’ll be in a stronger position to manage daily expenses while your endeavor finds it’s feet. If you need to expand you can do this by leasing exercise equipment without stretching you to ultimately the restrict as well as diminishing the stability of your company.

Borrowed finance will go together with high rates of interest. Whenever leasing exercise equipment the long term benefit in saving on this aspect on your own gets considerable.

Because fitness equipment renting is going to be shown being an working expense tax advantages will also circulation through organizing your company in this manner. It’s even possible to structure obligations to support the flow of business inside your establishment additional strengthening income throughout the sluggish several Marcy Classic MD 859 Mid Size Bench weeks.

Regardless if you are searching for multi stack gyms the elliptical machine seats treadmills cycles steppers or even more specific equipment you will discover it available on the leased basis.

Your company will perform with increased flexibility and be able to deal with greater need intervals efficiently. Customers along with unique needs may also be taken care of without difficulty to the company.

Sport finance

Developing and managing health/fitness facilities

Equipment leasing--leveraged leasing

Recreation Facility Management, Design, Development, Operation, and Utilization

Managerial Accounting, Tools for Business Decision Making