"24 Hour really wanted a downtown presence for five years," saysJeff Kittleson, vice president with Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co.,who jumpstarted talks for the space in a retail and parkingfacility at 719 Olive St. as soon as Gold's Gym International Inc.started packing its bags. Other fitness center operators sized upthe opportunity, but "we were just aggressive in getting the spaceearly," he tells GlobeSt.com about negotiations that pitted himagainst the TCC leasing team of Jon McNeil, senior vice president,and Russ Johnson, associate.

The Irvine, CA-based Gold's Gym vacated in May from floors nineand 10 in the annex to the 2001 Bryan St. high-rise, owned by SpireRealty Group of Dallas. Gold's was two years into a long-term leasewhen it moved out of Dallas, emptying space that underwent a$3-million renovation in its replacement of the Exchange Club, aone-time health club haven reserved for executives. "24 HourFitness is able to take advantage of most of the renovation thattook place," Kittleson says, adding upgrades will include all newequipment and just a few cosmetic changes.

24 Hour Fitness is the largest privately owned chain in themetroplex with 26 locations and four club-level categories. The CBDclub will be ranked in the super-sport class with high-end perkslike personal trainers, juice bar and exercise groups. The chainintends to sell corporate membership programs to companies fortheir 100,000 downtown employees, according to Kittleson.