Jersey-Based Gym Set to Take Over Former Kmart Site

Jersey-based Work Out World announced its pending purchase of the more than 50,000-square-foot former Kmart store on Route 206, Thursday.

The company made the announcement through the office of Township Business Advocate Gene Strupinsky. 

"WoW plans to re-develop the site and to build another of WoW's world class family fitness centers," the statement said.

The company will begin seeking permits for the work to convert the building which has been empty for more than a year in September or October. 

Work Out World is a privately held company based in Wall that grew out of a gym opened by Mary Roma in 1992. The company has 12 New Jersey locations though none in Somerset County, as well as in six other states.

Redevelopment of the KMart site has been a big topic lately: during last week's zoning board hearing on a use variance request by the Moslem Center of Somerset County, concerns possible buyers of the empty storefront would not want a religious institution nearby instead of retail stores led to some members to vote against the variance.

And on Monday, Somerset County’s just-released access and mobility improvements study—the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy —listed the site as suitable for redevelopment.
 
"The site benefits from signalized access to U.S. 206, but lacks connections to a multimodal network," the study said. "Improvement recommendations include pedestrian connections to the recently approved adjacent Green Village mixed-use residential development."

But the study proposes "a mixed-use redevelopment strategy centered on health, wellness, and medical uses"—which it may get.