Construction was going full tilt this week at the Redwood Health Club, despite cold weather, with hopes for a late February reopening of Fort Bragg”s oldest workout businesses.
It”s a final realization of a dream of Larry Hinson that started before he even built his Mendocino Sports Club on Highway 1 a decade ago.
Hinson has always wanted the Redwood Health Club and now is manager of the property for Travis and Nancy Swithenbank. The Swithenbanks are owners of a well-known local contracting business, which has all hands on deck remodeling and repairing Redwood.
Hinson announced the agreement between the new owners of the Redwood Health Club property and the Mendocino Sports Club to lease the property with the intention of mostly moving the Sports Club to the newly restored and renovated property on Cypress Street.
Dream come true
“I”ve been doing physical therapy and fitness for 30 years. It”s been my dream and mission to reopen the Redwood Health Club property since it closed six months ago,” Hinson said.
“Travis and Nancy Swithenbank”s purchase of the old Redwood Health Club property and their willingness to do the necessary repairs and upgrades has made it possible for me to make the move of the Mendocino Sports Club possible.”
The exact details of what will happen to each of the two clubs in the combo have not been worked out.
Former members who miss the pool, saunas, hot tub, racquetball, tennis and their many friendships of the former club have bombarded Hinson. Moving the Sports Club to the new site provides many new opportunities for making fitness fun, he said.
He also intends to keep the current site of the Sports Club open for personal training and some classes. The Sports Club is located on Highway 1, south of Fort Bragg.
Welcome back
“We have begun pre-opening sales at the current Mendocino Sports Club. We intend to honor any pre-payments to the old Redwood Health Club and to honor any prepayments to other fitness or recreation facilities former members have made. We welcome all the former members back,” Hinson said.
Swithenbank Construction is working hard to make all the improvements so the new club can open sometime in February. A grand opening will follow.
The two men were positive and upbeat inside the club, where all the carpet and interior furnishings were being removed. A new store will be part of the remodel.
The new combo club, which hasn”t been named yet, will have to pay sales taxes to the City of Fort Bragg, which owns the competing pool, the C.V. Starr Center.
History
The previous two owners lost the health club, despite solid memberships. Former owner Don Pollard lost the club to foreclosure last year and Savings Bank of Mendocino County has been working to sell it at a loss.
Pollard blamed the C.V. Star Center for making it too difficult to compete. The Redwood Club also suffered from age, which was clearly visible in the extensive remodel now under way.
Redwood Health Club was started in the late 1970s by dentist Michael Golden. Golden sold it shortly thereafter to Don Pollard, whose ownership came to an end June 30, 2012, when the tax and mortgage deficient property was foreclosed upon by Savings Bank of Mendocino County. Local resident Richard Miller led one effort to buy the club.
One possible moneymaker for the new club that is being talked about is the need for water therapy. C.V. Starr was supposed to be the site for water therapy patients from the hospital and other physical therapists but that never happened.
There is currently no place for water therapy on the coast. Redwood Health Club not only has hot water to help with therapy, but the pool was always kept at 84 degrees, warmer than usual to suit its mostly adult audience.
Redwood Health Club has much to offer, including top quality racquetball courts which are the only courts for the sport in the area and attract tournament players from around Northern California. It has a hot tub and dry and wet and steam rooms in both men and women”s locker rooms.
