Like any major project in a co-op or condominium, installing a gym is made up of  two separate yet equally important parts: The brass tacks of planning and  executing the project, and the politics of running it through the board and  residents  

 And as with most projects—especially costly 'lifestyle' amenities—the politics is the hard part.  

 “With all the negotiating back and forth and rounds of approvals, putting in the  gym took about five years,” recalls Patricia Durbin-Ruiz, former manager of the fitness center at The  Belaire, a condominium tower in New York City. The resistance among some of the  owners at The Belaire was particularly intense because it was to be massive—and expensive, including the upgrade of an existing indoor pool in addition to  the installation of the gym.  

 But the Belaire's board persevered through the resistance because they were  certain the fitness center would be more than a luxury lifestyle amenity for  their building—it would be essential to keep the building competitive in the marketplace. They  were reminded of that every day by the activity across the street: a rental  tower was being converted to a condominium called Miraval Living that boasted a  luxurious fitness center and pool. “The Belaire had a beautiful building,” says Durbin-Ruiz, “but no gym.”  

 Just like in New York City, here in New Jersey, prospective condo buyers are  looking at what amenities a building offers, and those amenities are becoming  the deciding factor whether to buy or not. Indeed, prospective buyers need only  to look at any condo project website, newly-built or several years old, and on  the main page developers are touting their in-house fitness centers.  

 Staying Competitive

 According to Jeffrey M. Heidings, president of Siren Management Corp., “More than five years ago, a gym was a plus. Now, If you don’t have a gym you are not competing. It is expected.” In August, The New York Times asked Prudential Douglas Elliman President and CEO Dottie Herman what buyers are  looking for. After “well-priced,” she said, “they want buildings with gyms.”  

 Putting an actual number to the value a gym adds is impossible because in-house  gyms have become a necessity, according to Jodi Stasse, president of Stasse & Company, which handles the sales and marketing for CANCOlofts as well as Trump  Plaza Residences in Jersey City, “I definitely think it's necessary because there's so much of a focus on health  and fitness right now and it's a convenience factor for the residents. Both  CANCOlofts and Trump Park Residences have in-house gyms; in fact all of our  buildings have in-house gyms.” Gregory Cilek, president and owner of Iowa Sports, a major designer and operator  of fitness clubs believes a number value can be estimated: “I got a very experienced broker to estimate the value [an in-house gym] adds to  each apartment in a building,” recalls Cilek. “I was told around $15,000.”  

 Some buildings, like The Belaire, assess the owners for the cost of the gym (the  primary reason their process took so long). Most take the money for the  installation from the reserve fund and charge the shareholders who join a  yearly membership fee to recoup that initial expense and fund the ongoing  operation.  

 The build-out of a gym without a shower or sauna ranges upward from  approximately $40,000. Some gyms pay off their initial investment in a few  years and cover the operating expenses, and some do not.  

 Building the Gym

 Buying workout equipment is the easiest part of the build-out. “A lot of people think they are going to take the bike room, put equipment in it,  paint the walls, and call it a day,” observes Thom Jackowski, commercial sales consultant with Gym Source, a leading  gym equipment retailer.  

 The first thing you need to consider, advises Jackowski, “is what construction and code obstacles you might need to overcome to pull the  project off.” Potential problems include open asbestos, lead paint on the walls, mold or  fungus problems, and particularly in basement spaces, pipes that sweat in the  summer. Basement spaces also have the issue of exposed pipes, conduits and  drain lines. As older buildings replace systems, they often leave old piping,  electrical conduits and phone lines in place. Each should be tested and removed  if inactive.  

 HVAC is perhaps the most important system in the facility. Some municipal codes  require a certain amount of fresh air to be present in the facility. If the  proposed space for the gym is not already equipped with central air  conditioning, ducting will need to be installed if the room does not have a  window. If there is a window, you need to install a unit with adequate power.  

 “You’re looking to maintain 68° year round—that often means running a cooling system practically year round,” says Jackowski, both for safety and comfort—to keep members coming back to the club. If there is any sort of landing or  ledge outside the window on which to set a compressor, Heidings recommends a  split system, available for around $2,000.  

 Another important code issue with which the gym room must conform is egress—providing a clear and unencumbered path out of the room if there is an emergency  such as a fire or loss of power.  

 Bring in a Pro

 To get a clear and objective evaluation of the condition of the room, and to get  an idea of the construction costs entailed, it’s best to consult an architect right up front. “That could be the dealbreaker very early on in the process,” says Jackowski. “If you find that your construction costs are very high, you may just say this is  just something we cannot afford right now—or ever,” unless or until there is a more suitable space available in the building.  

 Another element to consider is noise—both kinds: vibration caused by things like treadmills, which primarily travels  vertically downward; and audible, like the clanging and dropping of weights or  the thumping of runners. A thick rubber floor like the ones commonly used in  commercial gyms addresses both. Rubber flooring for a 600-square-foot gym costs  around $5,000, say the pros.  

 A particularly pernicious vibration problem can be solved by laying a floating  floor on top of the existing and then putting rubber over that, plus sealing  and caulking every edge of the space as well as every pipe intrusion and  structural column. A dropped ceiling filled with insulation will keep noise  from traveling upward.  

 According to Wendy Bosalavage, president of American Leisure, a designer and  operator of fitness centers in luxury condominiums, “Rubber flooring comes at different price points. There is a company we work with  called Mondo, for example, which has the capability to deliver custom colors  and complement the upholstery on the equipment.”  

 Well-designed lighting is essential to creating a pleasant ambiance as well. The cost of lighting varies widely, with custom built-ins at the top end. But many  gyms find that fluorescent in fixtures aimed upward to soften the light are an  effective and inexpensive alternative.  

 The gym must have mirrors on approximately half the wall space in the gym,  corresponding to the placement of the stretching/ab area and the apparatus. The  price range for mirror paneling is typically from $3,000 to $5,000. Lastly, a  computerized electronic lock on the door not only keeps the room secure, but  keeps track of who is in the room and when, in case anything is damaged or  stolen. Plastic keycards, which can easily be passed around to non-member  residents, have been replaced by palm or fingerprint scanners, available for  under $1,000.  

 Layout and Design

 A well thought-out private gym provides a full-body workout, which includes  warm-up, stretch, cardio, strength training and cool-down. According to  consultants, cardio equipment will generally be the most used. A  500-600-square-foot gym will typically have two treadmills (approximately  $2,000 each), two elliptical machines ($1,500 each), a recumbent bike ($2,000),  an upright bike (under $2,000), a multi-station weight apparatus (around  $5,000) and at least two racks of free weights and two benches (under $1,000).  A popular, fabulously versatile new apparatus is the functional trainer (around  $3,500), which uses two adjustable-height and width pulleys attached to  individual weight stacks and offers a wide range of exercises. This gym  containing all commercial grade brand-name equipment, including delivery and  installation, should come to about $30,000 plus tax. Commercial grade  equipment, the class just under the “full commercial” used in public gyms, is essential in meeting building insurance coverage  guidelines.  

 Depending on the building's budget, an in-house gym can be as basic or as  elaborate as the owners want it to be. Marc Rabinoff, a professor of Human Performance and Sports at the Metropolitan State College of Denver  suggests that options be weighed judiciously, “I always tell condos and homeowners' associations—what you got to do is decide who are your clientèle. If kids are or aren't going to be in there, that changes the whole picture  because then you got to look at certain types of equipment.” Rabinoff emphasizes that a building must purchase good equipment, “The mistake a lot of condos and homeowners' associations make is they look at  the price of commercial grade equipment, like you would see at major health club and say, 'we can't afford that stuff.' So then you go down to Sears and buy some home equipment. Major blunder. Because the home equipment isn't going  to hold up to the usage, it's going to break and fail and somebody's going to  get hurt on it. We see it all the time.”  

 Building insurance almost always covers injury and mishaps in the gym (just as  it does in the laundry room), as long as no one under 16 is allowed admission.  No additional policy is usually required—though of course it's wise to double-check with your building's insurance  carrier to make absolutely sure.  

 The life span of equipment in a gym varies from piece to piece. Jackowski  estimates that in a co-op or condo gym, conservatively, treadmills can be  counted on to last about five years, elliptical machines about seven and bikes  about 10. Weight machines last indefinitely, requiring only occasional  reupholstering and replacement of pulleys and cams. Regular professional  maintenance will help extend the life of all the equipment. Contracts, usually costing around $1,200 a year, include inspection, adjustment and lubrication of  all moving and mechanical parts.  

 In addition to quarterly maintenance visits, the room has to be cleaned every  day. This is typically done by existing building staff, the chore includes  wiping down all the equipment with disinfectant, vacuuming the floor, emptying  the garbage and cleaning the bathroom if there is one.  

 Adding TV screens to each of the six cardio pieces above would add at least  $6,000 to the cost of the package. Jackowski says about half the gyms he equips  go without any TVs at all to save on cable bills, figuring people bring their  iPods for entertainment. Some have just two Best Buy or Costco-bought flat  screens on the wall, using their speakers to produce the sound. Other more  extravagant buildings spend tens of thousands on individual touchscreens with  wireless Internet as well as cable TV.  

 You've Built It: Now Make Sure They Come

 In order to let residents know that their new gym is open and fully operational,  “Do as many kickoff events as you can,” advises Cilek. “You’ve got to get a lot of energy down there.” As soon as the gym is finished, do a wine and cheese ribbon-cutting ceremony.  Later on, bring in a trainer to lead several training sessions for four or five  shareholders at a time.  

 “The building can offer regularly scheduled yoga, stretch and pilates mat  classes,” says Durbin-Ruiz, who is the owner of Moving Strength, a pilates/fitness center  in New York City. “Offering pilates classes is especially effective in winning new members to the  gym,” says Durbin-Ruiz. Yoga and pilates classes can generate a modest extra income  for the building—and at the same time help keep shareholders and tenants healthy.  

 The bottom line is that not only can a well-designed, well-maintained gym  facility add value to your building, it can help boost community spirit as  residents bond over the iron, and it helps keep your owners and shareholders  healthy. And that's a winning equation.             

 Steve Cutler is a freelance writer living in New York City. He also served on a  gym committee for his own co-op board. Editorial Assistant David Chiu  contributed to this article.