FIT center closes Clients advised to find another place to exercise

The Fitness Institute of Tucson closed its gym/health club in Green Valley Wednesday after 20 years of operation.

The facility, at 1055 N. La Canada Drive, off Camino Casa Verde, served more than 100 area residents, mostly seniors, who are not eligible to use Green Valley Recreation centers.

David I. Lapan, a cardiologist who owns FIT and maintains an office next door, said the decision to close was a financial one.

“It’s been a battle to keep it open for 20 years, and closing was not something I took lightly,” he said.

“We had a difficult time competing with the GVR facilities and a hard time finding managers. Our lease was up and the landlord wanted an exorbitant increase in rent, on top of a very large increase two years ago when Health Care Realty Trust purchased the property from Carondelet.

“We managed to keep it open two years ago and contracted with the Silver Sneakers Program with Pacificare and Health Net patients” which helped financially by adding to the roster of about 100 clients, he said.

But the latest increase in rent was more than the business could bear, Lapan said, adding that he looked for other sites, but was unable to find them. He also looked for new owners, including approaching Carondelet, but no one appeared interested.

“I feel terrible about this, but we just couldn’t do it anymore,” he said.

Members were notified in person about the closure, Lapan said, and anyone with a long-term contract will get their money back.

Lapan, who works at Tucson Heart Hospital, St. Mary’s and for Pima Heart, said he plans to continue practicing in Green Valley as he has for the past 27 years.

He said he’s moving to a larger office shortly, next door to the current one and will be expanding the cardiology services offered.

Ed “Thumper” Thornton, who managed the FIT center for five years with his wife Victoria and worked there for a total of 11 years, said he has “bittersweet memories” about leaving FIT last year to open with Victoria Mind to Motion, a Pilates studio, in Madera Plaza, which he said is “alive and doing well.”

He said that FIT got financial support from those who rented space at the facility, including he and Victoria, and James M. Trout & Associates, Physical Therapy.

Opening new office

Trout is opening a new office in the Green Valley Mall April 2, next to China View Restaurant, where he will continue to work with Shannon Sullivan, licensed massage therapist and Julie Avendano, supervised exercise specialist.

FIT Manager Dennis Landeros, who monitored clients’ medical conditions, will be going to work for the Tucson FIT center, which Lapin plans to keep open, he said.

Thornton said he had no doubt “it was a financial decision. Dr. Lapan I honestly think never took a dime out that place for his convenience. We were there for 11 years and put our hearts and souls into the place, which was basically a tomb when we started.

“We’re thankful for the opportunity to get the experience,” he said, which enabled Thumper and Victoria to start their own business.

“I feel sad about this and for the people’s sake, I hope that somewhere down the road, FIT in Green Valley can be reincarnated,” Thornton said.

Volatile business

He added that the health club business is an extremely volatile one “with so much competition you really have to be specialized these days.”

“The days of going into a gym and working out unsupervised are gone,” he said and there is a special risk with elderly clients, who may have extensive health problems.

“In a way, the health clubs are like the airlines. They overbook and count on people not to show up,” he said.

If they all do show up, the facility may run into trouble because it doesn’t have enough equipment or staff to accommodate everyone at once, he explained.

FIT members who contacted the Green Valley News and Sun and spoke to or wrote to reporter Adrienne Mackey, were angered and saddened by what they thought was an abrupt closing.

Left in the lurch

“FIT abruptly shutting down...leaves 200-300 elderly Green Valley residents, seniors who have bought into the so-called Silver Sneakers program, offered and promoted by both Health Net and Secure Horizons, without an exercise program,’ said Theodore Kurrus.

A retired journalist and longtime member of FIT, Kurrus said he paid more than $1,300 to Health-Net for coverage and use of the now-defunct Green Valley FIT center.

He said many of the senior Silver Sneakers clients at FIT “have heart and other medical problems that prompted their doctors to recommend their taking advantage of specific exercises and/treatments available locally only at the FIT facility.”

FIt member Yvonne Jackman of Green Valley wrote that the closing prompted “many sad faces around Green Valley—FIT members wandering and wondering what to do, missing the fun and the friends.”

Belonging to FIT and enjoying routine workouts brought “many great memories,” she wrote.

Lapan recommended that FIT clients keep exercising because lack of exercise, he said, is a vital factor in seniors remaining healthy.

“I advise FIT members to keep exercising if they can find a facility in Green Valley. One option is to come to the FIT facility in Tucson. Another is to get some exercise equipment at home” because it is now much more affordable, Lapan said.

kengle@gvnews.com| 547-9732