Fitness 19 on Track to Open at Albertson's Site Later This Year

This vacant building, once the site of an Albertson's market, will soon house a Fitness 19 health club.

It might be taking longer than Menifee residents want, but a Fitness 19 health club in Menifee appears to be a done deal.

A city official confirmed this week that Fitness 19 has filed a conditional use permit with plans to open a 12,000-square-foot-club in part of the old Albertson's building at Newport Road and Murrieta Road. A Fitness 19 spokesman said a lease with the property owner has been signed and renovation of the site is ready to begin.

Most important, Dean Hofmaster of Fitness 19 says those who signed up for the club's introductory offer of $9 per month haven't lost their priority status for when the club opens. Even though it has been three months since the company advertised locally and accepted registration by phone, Hofmaster said those people will receive the deal that was promised them.

"I have all their names and numbers here," said Hofmaster, who currently oversees Fitness 19 clubs in Temecula and Wildomar and will move to the new Menifee location when it opens. "Everything looks great. We filed the CUP and I believe they're starting demo. We're just waiting for all that to go through."

Hofmaster said he could not give an estimate of when the Menifee club would open.

"From past experience, when I helped with openings in Orange County and Oceanside, I've seen the club open as quick as six weeks from approval of the CUP to three months," he said.

The first 150 people who signed up for the $9 per month deal will be contacted by phone as soon as possible, Hofmaster said, and any spots that might open up by those who have changed their mind will be given to callers who were put on a reserve list.

Hofmaster said the Temecula and Wildomar clubs have received many calls from Menifee residents wondering about the delay in opening the new club.

"Most of those calls are coming to me," he said. "We're hoping to start the presale in a few weeks. People have been going into the Wildomar club to sign up for Menifee. That isn't possible."

Hofmaster said the Menifee club will include the cardio, free weight and strength training equipment Fitness 19 is known for, plus aerobics instruction.

Two other tenants are expected to occupy the remainder of the 56,000-square-foot building, although no other announcements have been made.