Sarasota gym leaving Mira Mar building for new downtown location

Jefferson Fit, a two-year old gym in Sarasota’s Mira Mar building, is moving out of the property ahead of a planned renovation and into new digs in the city later this year.

The locally owned fitness and wellness center’s new space will be at 1956 2nd St. in the former BB&T building at the corner of Links Avenue and 2nd Street. It will be across from the Aster & Links apartments and Sprouts Farmers Market store, about two blocks north of Main Street.

The ground floor space center will be 12,000 square feet.

Jefferson Charles, the gym’s owner, says the move into the new space will allow it to add new services and amenities. While growing the facility was already the long-term plan, the situation at the Mira Mar shifted the timeline up.

“I think the idea was to move on, expand and add more amenities, but then, obviously, they're tearing it down, so it's just the perfect time to do that,” Charles says. “We can’t extend the lease anymore, so we decided to do it right now.”

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The owners of the more-than 100-year-old Mira Mar on Palm Avenue won zoning approval in July to build two 18-story condominium towers behind the building. Revenue from that project will help preserve and restore the building, which has structural issues, to its original form.

As part of the move, Jefferson Fit will add additional infrared saunas and as well as IV therapy, a salt and red light therapy booth and massage therapy.

Members will also have access to a smoothie bar along with a full-service open gym with cardio and strength equipment, one-on-one personal training and group fitness classes.

It will also have more visibility because of the location and because of the floor plan.

Charles says the search for a new space — the right space — took about a year and that at one point he considered maybe having to operate two locations near one another to accommodate the amenities.

Jefferson Fit offers both traditional gym services and wellness services. And while he could have split them up if necessary, that would have diluted the original vision.

“Most times, people have to travel to maybe three or four different locations to get what they really want or need for their fitness, longevity, stuff. So they go to the gym and then they go somewhere and do yoga and they go somewhere else and do a sauna.”

“The idea of putting everything into one roof was a no brainer. So that's what we decided to do.”

Jefferson Fit signed an initial lease for eight years with renewal options that could extend it to 20 years, Charles says.

For now, the gym will continue operating at the Mira Mar location until the new facility opens in early October.