Leaping In to Help: Photo of the Day

Dynamic Fitness opens doors to jump rope club during teachers' strike

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Strongsville Welcomes New Gym

Mayor cuts the ribbon at Dynamic Fitness

  Mayor Tom Perciak and other city officials celebrated the opening of Dynamic Fitness Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new gym, which took over the former Ethan Allen store outside SouthPark Mall, opened for business Jan. 2. "I've been working on this for the last 10 years in my head and for the last two years with my hands and heart," owner Bryan McIntosh said. The 15,000-square-foot gym at 16611 Southpark Center includes high-end treadmills, elliptical trainers and bikes, as well as free weights and strength machines. There is also a group fitness room and an area to work with a personal trainer.  The gym also offers fitness classes, childcare, private showers, tanning and massage chairs. Kids under 15 aren't allowed to use…

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News of the Week: Two New Businesses; 80 New Homes; Intruder Walks into House

Here's what happened in Strongsville in the last few days

  A wrap-up of news in Strongsville this week: New gym -- Dynamic Fitness is almost ready to open next to SouthPark Mall. Here's a peek inside. New pizza place -- Papa John's is planning to open next week on Pearl Road. Scary intrusion -- A woman reported that someone walked into her house, saw her and left. Marks Road may reopen -- Replacement of a culvert pipe in danger of collapsing could be moved up a year, allowing Marks to reopen next summer. New subdivision -- A developer plans to start work on Edgebrook, an 80-home cluster development, in the spring.

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A Look Inside the City's Newest Gym

Dynamic Fitness is almost ready to open

  The former Ethan Allen store at SouthPark Mall will be bursting with energy soon. Dynamic Fitness has nearly finished a months-long renovation into Strongsville's largest private gym, filled with high-end treadmills, elliptical trainers and bikes, as well as free weights and strength machines. "My goal was to design a premier fitness center," said owner Bryan McIntosh. "I'm trying to do something that is first-class all the way." The facility will open "as soon as possible," McIntosh said. "I can guarantee it will be open on or before Jan. 2," he said. The 15,000-square-foot gym at 16611 Southpark Center includes a group fitness room and an area to work with a personal trainer. Charter members can still join for $20 a month, but that …

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Old Store Gets New Life

Dynamic Fitness to open full-service gym in former Ethan Allen spot next to mall

Construction has started on the new Dynamic Fitness, a full-service gym that will take over the former Ethan Allen store at SouthPark Mall. Owner Bryan McIntosh, who currently operates a smaller version of Dynamic Fitness at 14415 Pearl Rd., said he plans to open the larger gym this fall. "We've been in Strongsville since 2007, and the community has been very good to us," he said. "I want to give back. I want to make fitness affordable to everyone." For a limited time, he is signing up charter members, who will have access to the cardio and strength equipment -- and will get tanning, childcare, fitness classes, private showers, private changing rooms and nutrition and wellness advice free of charge. Charter members will also get the Plus …

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Retail Still Active in Strongsville

Here's a wrap-up of some of the latest business news

Two Strongsville businesses are planning ribbon-cutting ceremonies and a new tenant is looking at the vacant Borders store. Here's a look at some of the recent business activity in Strongsville: • Samurai Sushi Bar and Hibachi Steakhouse, which opened a few months ago in the Plaza at SouthPark, will have its official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Dec. 6. • The Cute Little Cake Shop will have its grand opening celebation at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10. The gourmet cake ball and cake pop store will move into Strongsville Towne Centre near Plato's Closet. • A company is looking at the vacant Borders spot, but Economic Development Director Brent Painter said no deal has been signed. • There has been some interest in the …

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Debbie Palmer

9:48 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Marlene, we're working on a story on the new Italian restaurant, and Bob, we'll have an update on the Whitney-Pearl plans on Thursday.   more ›

Fitness Center Approved for Ethan Allen Site

Planning Commission gives Dynamic Fitness permission to take over vacant furniture store at mall

A small fitness center has won city approval to move into the former Ethan Allen store at Westfield SouthPark. The city's Planning Commission voted 5-0 Thursday night on a conditional use permit for Dynamic Fitness, now at 14415 Pearl Rd., to open a full-service gym in the vacant furniture store. Attorney Nick Catanzarite said the 15,000-square-foot facility would offer memberships at "a low monthly rate" for use of exercise equipment and free weights.  It would also offer classes, personal training and tanning, he said. Dynamic Fitness owner Bryan McIntosh said he does not yet have a timetable for opening because he is still working out lease details with the owner of the building. In his current location behind Taco Bell, McIntosh offers…

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Fitness Center Plan for Ethan Allen Store to Be Reviewed

Dynamic Fitness wants to take over vacant building at mall

A plan to turn the former Ethan Allen store at Westfield SouthPark into a full-service gym will go before the Planning commission Thursday. Bryan McIntosh, owner of Dynamic Fitness, 14415 Pearl Rd., is seeking to open a fitness center in the vacant furniture store. Attorney Nick Catanzarite said the 15,000-square-foot facility would offer memberships at "a low monthly rate" for use of exercise equipment and free weights.  It would also offer classes, personal training and tanning, he said. The Board of Zoning Appeals has already granted a size variance on the project.  City zoning code sets a maximum size of 5,000 square feet on fitness centers. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-0 to grant a variance of 10,311 square feet to allow …

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A New Tenant for Former Ethan Allen Store

Local fitness center wants to expand into full-scale gym

The owner of a small Strongsville fitness center has cleared the first hurdle in turning the former Ethan Allen store at Westfield SouthPark into a full-service gym. The Board of Zoning Appeals Wednesday awarded a variance to Bryan McIntosh, owner of Dynamic Fitness, 14415 Pearl Rd., to open a fitness center in the vacant furniture store. Attorney Nick Catanzarite said the 15,000-square-foot facility would offer memberships at "a low monthly rate" for use of exercise equipment and free weights.  It would also offer classes, personal training and tanning, he said. "Ultimately, the use is a good fit for that building," Catanzarite said. City zoning code sets a maximum size of 5,000 square feet on fitness centers. The Board of Zoning Appeals …

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Fitness Center Seeking to Move into Former Ethan Allen Site

Planning Commission will hear request to turn furniture store into gym

A Strongsville fitness center is seeking to take over the former Ethan Allen store outside Westfield SouthPark. Dynamic Fitness, 14415 Pearl Rd., is asking for a conditional use permit to operate a 15,311-square-foot training and physical fitness center at the former furniture store, 16611 Southpark Center. The Ethan Allen site has been vacant since the store left several years ago. Dynamic Fitness owner Bryan McIntosh said he could not yet comment on the project. The Planning Commission is scheduled to review the issue Sept. 22, but a decision is not expected that night. Requests for conditional use permits are typically heard by the Board of Zoning Appeals.

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