Urban Life Athletics, a hotspot for CrossFit and other indoor exercises, is set to begin construction on a new location on the Syracuse University Hill.

Eric Hinman, an Urban Life partner, and Jamar Clarke, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, said they expect the second location to be open in the coming months. Hinman said that although there is no official opening date due to construction, they hope to have the location up and running by the end of February.

The new location will be underneath the CVS near Harry’s Bar, at 700 South Crouse Ave. The entrance to the second location will be on Adams Street. Urban Life offers many different types of activities, ranging from CrossFit to indoor cycling.

The first Urban Life location, which is at 1003 West Fayette Street in downtown Syracuse, opened in October 2013 and will still remain in business after the new location opens.

Samantha Jacobsen, an intern at Urban Life, said she believes the second location is a perfect place for students due to their laid-back and fun nature. Jacobsen, a senior nutrition science major, said many students already visit Urban Life’s current location, so the new gym on University Hill will be even more convenient.

Hinman and Clarke both said they believe the location will offer SU students, university professors, medial professionals and others located on the Hill a more accessible place to go to exercise so they don’t have to drive downtown. In addition, semester packages will be offered at $299 for three months of unlimited classes, Hinman and Clarke said.

Indoor cycling will be a main focus at this location, which will offer a “team-based twist,” Hinman and Clarke said. With 25 bikes, “teams will compete in real-time on sprints, climbs and various intervals.” There are also flat-panel TVs in the studio, which will show performance data. This will guarantee a “competitive and collaborative workout at the same time.”

Urban Life will be hosting group workouts as well with sororities, fraternities and club teams, Hinman and Clarke said.

“Class times are not set at the moment,” Hinman said. “But they will likely be seven days a week, with classes in the late mornings, early afternoons and evenings.” Also, they will start with at least four classes per day, with room to grow.

Hinman and Clarke said they are excited because “the studio will feature state-of-the-art lighting, a nightclub-esque sound system, changing rooms, retail and lockers with a built-in locking system.”

Jacobsen had a positive experience at Urban Life when she took a CrossFit class for the first time. While working with the coaches at Urban Life, she said she felt they were “excellent at modifying the workouts to fit every athlete’s needs, and that the whole staff truly loves what they do.”

Said Jacobsen: “Once a student tries a class at Urban Life, it’ll be really hard for them not to get hooked.”

Published on January 12, 2015 at 12:01 am