St. James Performance Club Coming Soon — The Springfield complex is opening a second location in Reston Town Center this spring. Vim & Vector, a snack bar that serves smoothies and acai bowels, will also open at that location. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Charges Announced in 1987 Cold Case Murder in Herndon — Through a regional law enforcement effort, the Fairfax County Police Department announced that Charles Helem, 52, has been charged for two cold case homicides that happened in Herndon and Prince George’s County, Md. [FCPD]

County Seedling Sale to Begin –The annual Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District seedling sale begin March 1. All species sold are native to Virginia and help bees survive. [Fairfax County Government]

Local Speed Skater Returns to Olympics — Reston’s own Maame Biney heads to the Beijing Winter Olympics. She catches up with Washingtonian magazine to discuss her training, mental health and goals for the competition. [Washingtonian]

Photo by Marjorie Copson

Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa is reopening this week after roughly $4 million in renovations.

The club, which is located at 13037 Worldgate Drive, has upgraded its fitness equipment and added a boxing studio and a system to its indoor tennis program.

The facility also includes video-on-demand cycling, pickleball, an upgraded indoor track, and a new recovery zone.

A golf stimulator by Foresight Sports — called AcuTennis — was also included in the upgrades, allowing users to practice the game with customizable options. The feature has been added to all courts and allows users to access instant replays and control the court through mobile devices.

Here’s more from the company on the renovation:

Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa’s recent multi-million dollar renovation has transformed the three-level facility into a one-stop shop for living well. The club offers 110,000 square feet of fitness, aquatics, tennis, spa and wellness amenities. From state-of-the-art equipment to a large gymnasium to all new locker rooms to a full kid’s club, Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa is amenity-rich. Expert personal trainers, group exercise instructors and spa therapists offer the latest in well-balanced health.

The club is owned by DC-based property management company Rapport and managed by Maryland-based club management company WTS International.

“We’re so excited to showcase the renovated club,” said Gary D. Rappaport, CEO of Rappaport, owners of Worldgate.  “As one of the largest clubs in the D.C. region, it was important for us to provide the latest in fitness technology and workout trends. Members, and the community, should be excited to see the new additions. It is a state-of-the-art fitness club and spa that offers everything.”

Photo courtesy Worldgate Club & Spa

Crunch Fitness in Reston Town Center has closed.

The fitness center — which routinely offered outdoor classes and activities near the pavilion — offered a full slate of tines classes, personal training, and other services.

Crunch Fitness opened in 2014.  No word yet on what new business will take over the gym’s current location. 

The business has locations across the country, Canada and Costa Rica. Locally, Crunch has locations in Baltimore, Md., Timonium, Md., and the District. 

The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment, but a sign posted on the gym’s door says that last day  of business was Dec. 20.

Boston Properties has remained mum about new tenants expected to open at the town center. 

So far, Open Road Distillery, Hammer & Nails and Compass Real Estate have signed leases with the company, along with a new steakhouse. 

The company has declined to comment further on those leases. 

Image via Crunch Fitness

Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa is getting a multi-million-dollar facelift that will include a full interior redesign and the addition of new equipment, property owner Rappaport announced this morning (Tuesday).

The renovation of the 110,000 square-foot fitness facility in Herndon’s Worldgate Centre shopping complex is currently underway, according to the club’s website.

According to Rappaport, the work is expected to be completed by October. The facility will remain open throughout the renovation process, and Worldgate will offer “special packages” to new members who join while construction is ongoing, including an $80 discount on new memberships this July.

“As the anchor of our Worldgate Centre property, this fitness facility will continue to be a hub for the community and focal point for the overall retail, entertainment, and lifestyle experience of this premier destination,” Rappaport CEO Gary D. Rappaport said in a press release.

Overseen by WTS International, which took over management of the fitness center in February, the renovation will update the interior and flooring while introducing new weight and cardio equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bicycles, an interactive rower, and a golf simulator.

Planned new facilities include a boxing studio and a recovery zone. The existing turf training space will be expanded, and the indoor track will get an upgrade.

Under the new management team, Rappaport says in its press release that the renovation will also enable the fitness center to expand its program offerings with “new classes and digital support will be offered to better serve the club members around the clock”:

Designed to complement the wide range of existing services, club members and guests will enjoy enhanced programming features such as virtual fitness solutions, including an on-demand workout library, a member app with class registration, and various virtual events. In addition, Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa will also offer wellness packages, updated spa services, signature fitness programs, and nutritional coaching to boost performance — taking a holistic approach to health and wellness.

Opened in 1988, Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa currently houses an indoor track, a 25-yard swimming pool with six lap lanes, and courts for tennis, squash, racketball, basketball, and volleyball.

“Worldgate is an amazing fitness facility that will be even more special once the renovation is complete,” WTS Senior Vice President of Fitness Chris Griebe said. “The enhancements will draw more clients but just as importantly will strengthen the greater Herndon community. With our deep experience, we are excited to help lead these exciting changes.”

Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa, a fitness facility at Worldgate in Herndon, has changed management companies, moving from Sport & Health to WTS International.

The news come after a note sent by the former management that the facility was “being forced to permanently close its doors” immediately caused some confusion among members.

On Monday (Feb. 15) afternoon, a note from the “Sport & Health Management Team” was sent to members saying that “unbeknownst” to them the landlord has “decided to terminate its lease with the club owner and take possession of the space.”

Due to this, the club was closing that day.

“We are equally shocked by what has transpired,” the note continues which was subsequently posted on their website.

However, RAPPAPORT – which owns the Worldgate shopping center – confirms to Reston Now that isn’t exactly the case.

In a press release provided Tuesday night, Worldgate’s landlord announced that WTS International has taken over as the management company of its “state-of-the-art fitness facility at Worldgate Centre in Herndon, VA.”

“We’re excited to have WTS International oversee the management and operations for Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa,” Gary D. Rappaport, CEO, wrote in the release. “WTS International is known for its expertise in fitness management and award-winning spas, and we are confident in their plans to elevate the Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa as a luxury brand and create incredible value for members within the communities that we serve.”

In a follow-up email, a RAPPAPORT spokesperson says that the confusion came down to the previous management not being aware of the tenant’s and landlord’s contractual decision making.

In 2014, McLean-based US Fitness bought Sport & Health. One of the clubs Sport & Health was managing at the time was the fitness facility at Worldgate.

The spokesperson also says that due to a contractual relationship between US Fitness and the tenant, Rappaport was unable to continue using Sport & Health as the management company.

It has nothing to do with the performance of the management company, the spokesperson reiterated. The club remains financially successful and one of the biggest fitness facilities in the area, they noted.

There was no delay in transition. On Sunday night, the facility closed for the day under Sport & Health management and reopened normal time on Monday under WTS International management.

As of the moment, the facilities and amenities remain the same as they were under Sport & Health.

Reston Now has reached out to Sport & Health to ask about the confusion, but has yet to hear back as publication.

What this means for members is that they have a choice.

According to Sport & Health’s note to members, all memberships for the Worldgate location are being upgraded to allow access to all 27 area locations which are owned by the same company. This includes ALL Onelife Fitness, Sport & Health and Crunch Fitness. Half of February’s dues are also being refunded to members.

For those who would like to stay at the Worldgate facility, WTS says they will “honor all current membership rates from the previous management for those who sign up.”

They are also recruiting trainers, instructors, therapists, and other staff and are hosting a job fair today (Wed, Feb. 17) 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Worldgate fitness facility first opened more than 30 years ago, in 1988, making it one of the oldest in the area.

Gyms and fitness facilities are allowed to be open with limited capacity under Virginia COVID guidelines. Employees and patrons at gyms are required to wear masks, but not while exercising.

Full release from Rappaport and WTS International is below:

Rappaport is pleased to announce that WTS International is the management company for its state-of-the-art fitness facility at Worldgate Centre in Herndon, VA. Headquartered in Rockville, MD, WTS International is the world’s leading spa, wellness, and lifestyle consultancy and management firm. Under WTS, there will be new offerings and enhancements for one of the largest and most successful clubs in the D.C. metro area, Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa.

“We’re excited to have WTS International oversee the management and operations for Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa,” says Gary D. Rappaport, CEO of Rappaport. “WTS International is known for its expertise in fitness management and award-winning spas, and we are confident in their plans to elevate the Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa as a luxury brand and create incredible value for members within the communities that we serve.”

WTS International will bring its 47+ years of extensive fitness industry experience to the property which, is already an amenity-rich health club. WTS International has provided consulting and management services for over 300 spas, fitness/wellness centers, leisure and lifestyle facilities worldwide including Four Seasons, Westin, and InterContinental. Their clients include some of the most luxurious fitness and wellness brands such as VERDURE in Amarillo, Texas, Brooklyn Sports Club in Brooklyn, New York, and Manhattan Plaza Health Club in New York, New York.

Club members and guests will enjoy enhanced programming features such as virtual fitness solutions, including an on-demand workout library, a member app with class registration, and various virtual events. In addition, Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa will also offer wellness packages, updated spa services, signature fitness programs, and nutritional coaching to boost performance – taking a holistic approach to health and wellness.

This is designed to complement the wide range of existing facilities, including three indoor tennis courts, an indoor track, squash and racquetball courts, a full basketball and volleyball court, a 25-yard swimming pool, and spa and wellness amenities. At almost 110,000 square feet, Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa is the premier, luxury fitness club in Herndon, VA, with modern equipment, a large gymnasium with all new locker rooms, showers, steam rooms, private/family changing rooms, and complimentary towel service.

“WTS International is thrilled to bring elevated fitness to the new Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa. Our vast experience managing commercial and community fitness centers and world-class spa and lifestyle properties will bring a new emphasis on innovative services, digital experiences, and expanded wellness programs to members,” says Chris Griebe, Senior Vice President, Fitness.

Smooth transition

Customers can rest assured that Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa will honor all current membership rates from the previous management for those who sign up. All operating hours (including spa, fitness and aquatics) will remain the same. Furthermore, partnerships with Blue Chip Sports Management and Personal20 will also continue as before. WTS International is actively recruiting the best trainers, instructors, therapists, and operations staff in the area and is hosting a job fair at the club Tuesday, February 16^th and Wednesday, February 17^th, noon to 6pm.For career opportunities, visit. www.wtsinternational.com.

Worldgate Athletic Club & Spa membership benefits include access to virtual programming, training, and nutritional consultation, as well as 15% off all spa services. All new members can join for $29 with no dues until March 1st, one complimentary fitness consultation, and one personal training session. To join, visit www.worldgateathleticclubandspa.com/join.

Photo courtesy of Rappaport Management Company

People who have missed hitting the gym for the last few months are seeing options reopen.

Fitness centers are allowed to open indoor spaces at 30% occupancy under Phase Two, which Northern Virginia entered June 12. Several studios in the Reston area started offering outdoor classes earlier this month.

Fairfax County offers indoor and outdoor public swimming only for lap swimming, diving, exercise and instruction. Public pools, including community pools, are not allowed to open for recreational use.

When Virginia enters Phase Three, Gov. Ralph Northam said that pools and gyms may open at 75% capacity. The date for when Virginia will enter that phase has not been announced yet.

Just because pools and gyms can open in limited capacities doesn’t mean that they will. Some gyms, like 24 Hour Fitness in Tysons, won’t reopen at all.

We want to know how you feel about going back to the gym during the pandemic. Let us know in the poll below.

Photo by Danielle Cerullo on Unsplash

Several local gyms and fitness studios are now offering outdoor classes as Northern Virginia begins reopening.

Although New Trail Cycling Studio (1614 Washington Plaza-N) is closed, outdoor classes limited to nine people are being offered. All staff and participants will have contactless temperature checks before beginning workouts. Attendees should bring water, use the restroom, and change before taking part.

The studio is also following a number of other safety protocols. Participants must wear masks until they are in place and when class begins. Physical distance of at least 10 feet must be maintained before, throughout, and after class.

Crunch Fitness (11951 Freedom Drive) also resumed classes on Monday. Staff has “dramatically increased the number of sanitation stations” for members. Capacity will be monitored to maintain the 30 percent occupancy restriction put in place by Gov. Ralph Northam. Onelife Fitness, which is part of the same company, is also open at 11445 Isaac Newton Square.

So far, the location has not experienced waiting lines due to the size of the club. The Reston location is open on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

Gold’s Gym (11674 Plaza America Drive) also opened this week. Weekly class schedules are available online. The gym is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 8 a.m to 4 p.m. on weekends. But UFC Gym, which is also located in Plaza America, remains temporarily closed.

Life Time Reston, a fitness club located at 1757 Business Center Drive, plans to open on June 19.

CrossFit North Reston (11503 Sunset Hills Road) remains closed.

This story will be updated as more information is available.

Over the weekend, parents, students and community members gathered to say goodbye to Herndon High School‘s gym with a silent disco and auction.

The gym is now closed off as the renovation project begins. The project — which will expand the gym by roughly one-third — will be completed over the summer. It will also include new boys and girls locker rooms, a new weight room, team rooms, training rooms, and storage areas.

The goodbye event included a moment of silence to “remember the good times” as the school celebrates the beginning of the construction project, according to the school. All proceeds from the event will be used to outfit the newly-renovated athletic facilities once they are completed. Around 250 people attended the event, according to the school’s assistant principal Jim Hannon.

The school has been an active construction area for more than a year. A new wing was added to the back and front of the building, including a new library, main office, and administrative and counseling offices.

Future phrases include a new wrestling and gymnastics room, renovated music rooms, an expanded auditorium, and new baseball and softball structures.

In the final phase of the project, the cafeteria will be modified into a food court design and the stadium press box and tennis courts will be renovated.

Photo via Jim Hannon

The opening of LA Fitness in Herndon Centre has been delayed to March.

This is not the first time the opening date of the fitness gym, which will open in Herndon Centre (494 Elden Street), has been pushed back.

Last year, the business was expected to open Jan. 16, a few weeks earlier than originally anticipated. Then, the gym announced it would open sometime in early 2020.

Now, the Kristhian Reyes, the general manager of the location, says the “best-case scenario” is that the gym will open by the beginning of March. In any case, he hopes the gym will be up and running by the end of next month.

“We understand everyone’s concerns on our opening date, but some things have been out of our hands,” Reyes said.

The delay was caused by delays in the permitting and inspection process, according to the general manager.

“We have people working 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. seven days a week trying to make sure the gym gets finished as quickly as possible now,” Reyes said.

Anyone who already signed up to use the facility will have access to other LA Fitness locations in the area.

LA Fitness plans to open in Herndon by late February, according to a company representative.

The gym, which has more than 700 across the country and Canada, originally expected to open by Feb. 1 in the Herndon Centre. But the opening date was delayed due hiccups in the permitting process.

Equipment — which is expected to arrive in early February — will require one week for set-up, the representative said.

The business expects to open between Feb. 15 and 26.  Pre-sale rates are expected to end on Feb. 1.

Staff photo by Jay Westcott

Editor’s note: A press release from the company previously misstated a location was planned at Reston Station.

Australian fitness company F45 Training will open a location in Reston Town Center, according to a company news release.

F45 Training plans to open at 11840 Freedom Drive in Reston Town Center by May this year.

Here’s more from the company about the expansion in Reston:

The rapid growth of F45 Training indicates that F45 is filling the gap left in the fitness industry by traditional gyms, where members commit to a cheap membership fee to work out individually, but pay for high-cost personal training sessions.

“We are very excited to have F45 Training as a part of Reston,” says Tariq Mojadidi, Studio Manager of F45 Reston Town Center and F45 Reston Station. “What we will bring to the Reston community is very unique and unlike anything else that is offered in terms of boutique fitness. F45 offers a unique concept, where personal training is offered in a group team environment, and trainers will work with you to correct your form, prevent injuries and offer nutritional support. The concept is a perfect fit for the Reston community.”

F45 Training combines elements of three separate cutting-edge fitness training styles: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Circuit Training, and Functional Training. The blend of these three training concepts offers a variety of different 45 minute workout experiences, keeping F45 members challenged, eager to grow and set to have fun. This combination of cardiovascular, strength and resistance training has been proven to be most effective in burning fat and building lean muscle.

The business will begin offering limited memberships on March 1. Membership reservations — which include discounted month-to-month rates — are available online.

F45 also plans to open a location in South Riding in April.

Photo courtesy F45/Facebook

A new fitness center devoted to children’s health is setting its eyes for a location in Reston.

My Gym, which offers programs that help children six weeks through 10 years of age to develop physically, plans to open in Reston within the next year, according to the owner of the company’s Vienna location.

The business, which has locations in more than 30 countries, celebrated its grand opening this week. It has another location in Tysons and also plans to expand to Ashburn.

Here’s more from the company:

Our programs focus on growth in all three categories because we view each step of development in these areas as an essential “building block” toward becoming a happy, healthy, well-adjusted human being.

My Gym Vienna owner Guillermo Herboza said a location has not been finalized yet in Reston.

Photo via My Gym Vienna/Facebook