Gainesville Health and Fitness Center’s most recent expansion opened up in July 2013 and consists of 6,000 square feet of upstairs exercise space and 6,000 square feet of downstairs space for the ReQuest physical rehabilitation center. GHFC owner Joe Cirulli’s philosophy, according to GHFC Marketing Director Debbie Lee, is that members should compete with themselves and always be someone new, and that philosophy has extended to the organization itself as it has evolved to meet member needs.
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LOCATION: 4820 Newberry Road
WEBSITE: www.ghfc.com
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 375 over three facilities.
WHAT THEY DO: Provide fitness services to thousands of gym-goers every day.
DESIGNED BY: Architect Rudy Gabiano.
WANT TO WORK THERE?: Check www.ghfc.com/careers/ for openings.
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The overall design goal of the new tower is to be contemporary, with lots of open space and windows. It also unites the design aesthetic of the Tioga with the primary facility.
In order to keep things fresh and stay on the cutting edge of fitness, GHFC brought in new lines of equipment that are all designed to be easy to use. A new stadium-style SkyCycle room was added behind a large transparent red wall and it uses My Ride technology to run through 45-minute virtual rides around the world to music and routines that the instructor chooses.
GHFC’s expansion and renovations are in response to bottlenecks that the staff recognizes. The goal is to put more machines where they are needed so that members aren’t standing around waiting for open treadmills or weight machines.
The expansion also introduced social nodes into the mix, which are areas where members can take a moment to connect with other members, potentially sharing exercise tips and advice. The new area also has a concierge desk in the personal training zone so that members have access to trainers and ask questions.
GHFC is one of only two clubs in the country to feature X-Force machines, which utilize the negative motion of letting a dumbbell down or lowering a barbell onto your chest. The machines are utilized in a special training program along with a strict diet for maximum weight loss.
The ReQuest center exists in its own section of the building and utilizes physical therapy, massage, movement therapy and strength training to rehabilitate sufferers of injury or chronic pain. The center features traditional rehab equipment, as well as a 75-foot pool with hot and cold therapy pools and MedX Testing & Rehab, Back-Neck-Knee, machines, which were produced from research between GHFC and UF, and created by Arthur Jones, the creator of the Nautilus fitness line of equipment.
