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Planet Fitness eyeing Milton Avenue location

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JANESVILLE — The city expects to issue a building permit in the next couple of weeks for renovation work and construction of a nationally recognized fitness center on Milton Avenue.

Gale Price, Janesville's manager of building and development services, said Planet Fitness plans to open a 19,000-square-foot facility between Big Lots and the United States Post Office.

Based in New Hampshire, Planet Fitness has more than 600 owned and franchised locations, primarily in the United States. It has 11 centers in Wisconsin, with plans for an operation in Fond du Lac.

Price said his department is reviewing site and buildings plans, which include additional construction to the rear of the building. A fitness center is an approved use of the site, he said, and issuing a building permit is the next step.

Plans call for an extensive number of treadmills, exercise bikes, weight equipment, a 30-minute workout area, tanning booths and a shower area, Price said. The project also will include some demolition of the existing building and construction to the rear, which faces Randall Avenue.

The renovation will require a slight move for Cost Cutters. Owner Kyle Hovey said he would get a larger space in the new building and have access from both Milton Avenue and Randall Avenue.

"It's a good thing," he said. "I'll get a bigger, newer space with a pylon sign out front, something I've never had.

"My front door will still be toward Milton Avenue, and that's good, because after 27 years here I think cars automatically know where to go."

The Planet Fitness website bills the company as "the most innovative health club brand in the United States, known for absurdly low prices."

Marc Groshan, owner of the Janesville Athletic Club, said he thinks "competition is healthy."

"However, Planet Fitness will not be adding anything new to the community," Groshan said. "Our express club is $10 a month and offers far more services and amenities."

James L. Johnson of Johnson Acquisition Corp., Janesville, owns the property. Barry Badertscher of Badertscher Real Estate has been brokering the deal.