Planet Fitness has leased 16,561 square feet at 663 Main Ave. in Passaic. — Courtesy: JLL
By Joshua Burd
Two fitness chains are expanding in northern New Jersey, reflecting what a JLL brokerage team said is continued demand from operators seeking high-visibility, convenience-driven locations.
According to a news release, the deals include a 14,750-square-foot lease in Paramus by Elev8tion Fitness. The business will join the lineup at Bergen Town Center, seeking to leverage the daily consumer traffic from anchors Whole Foods and Target and a host of other retail and restaurant users just south of Route 4.
JLL Managing Director David Townes and Vice President Alana Friedman represented ownership at the 1 million-square-foot property. Michael Dibi of Keller Williams City Views Realty represented the tenant.
In the second transaction, Planet Fitness leased 16,561 square feet at 663 Main Ave. in downtown Passaic, positioning the national fitness brand in a dense, transit-accessible urban corridor with strong demand for convenient health and wellness options, the news release said. The JLL team brokered the deal directly with the landlord, the Hanini Group.
“Consumers continue to prioritize health, wellness and accessibility and fitness operators are responding by securing space in locations that make workouts easier for them to integrate into their daily routine,” Townes said. “These recent deals highlight the range of opportunities available for brands that understand how to pair access with demand, especially for established retail destinations like Bergen Town Center and the downtown Passaic market.”
According to JLL’s first-quarter US Retail Insights report, fitness concepts remain among the most active retail growth categories nationwide as brands collectively add hundreds of locations amid sustained consumer demand for health, wellness and experiential retail offerings. Most recently, Crunch Fitness has expanded its New Jersey footprint by 190,000 square feet through a five-location acquisition and multiple fitness concepts targeting Bergen, Hudson and Newark-area markets.
The firm added that the newest leases also reflect a broader shift in retail leasing as experiential and service-oriented tenants drive the bulk of activity in well-located shopping centers and downtown districts. Fitness concepts are targeting locations with strong parking, public transportation access, dense residential populations and complementary retail offerings.
“In today’s market, the most successful fitness concepts are treating real estate as part of the customer experience, selecting sites that seamlessly integrate into consumers’ everyday routines,” Friedman said. “We anticipate the sector will continue to deepen its presence in mixed-use and high-traffic retail settings as operators focus on accessibility, frequency of visits and long-term customer engagement.”
Urban Edge inks deal with Elev8tion Fitness, five others as tenants flock to Bergen Town Center
