Fitness center planned at 2933 W. Division

The Chicago Plan Commission has approved plans for a new fitness center building at 2933 W. Division St. Located at the corner of W. Division St and N. Richmond St, the project is part of a larger master plan envisioned by Humboldt Park Health. The new construction will replace a vacant lot and old two-story home and garage owned by the hospital that is currently unoccupied.

Designed by JGMA, the project will consist of a three-story building spanning 45,500 square feet. The ground floor will feature a corner entry, an indoor pool, a sports medicine space, and a kids club. The second floor will be home to open fitness space, exercise rooms and an indoor track around the perimeter of the building. On the top floor, community rooms and lecture spaces will be grouped to create a community asset with an outdoor terrace finishing up the top floor.

Dubbed the Humboldt Park Health Wellness Center, the project is aimed to promote healthy lifestyles while aiming to be a beacon of health and wellness for the entire campus. The project is charged as a connector between the hospital and the larger community, creating an asset that can be a protagonist for health and wellness.

Rising 62 feet, the building’s facade will wrap around the volume, while rising up at the corner to announce the entry and create a clear procession into the building. Made up of a glass and metal system, the design is intended to evoke the idea of breathing, reinforcing the idea of health and wellness within the community.

The hospital is seeking to rezone the property from the original planned development and RS-3 to a unified C1-2 and then back to the planned development designation. To meet sustainability requirements the building will achieve Energy Star, exceed energy code, reduce indoor water use, plant trees, include bird protection, and ensure 80% construction waste diversion.

The $24 million project is reportedly fully funded and is on its way towards breaking ground. Final approvals from the Committee on Zoning and City Council are required before construction can start.