New Grove Street Space To Feature Central Fitness Area, Health Services in Studios and Suites

The widely anticipated and complete renovation at 45 Grove St.—the walk-in level from the covered lot at the building that houses the New Canaan Racquet Club—will include a centrally located, open fitness area surrounded by 11 studios and suites where local experts will provide health- and wellness-related services, one of the property’s owners said.

Just inside the door Sept. 3 at the walk-in (from the covered parking lot) level of the building that houses the New Canaan Racquet Club, at 45 Grove St., under renovation for a comprehensive new á la carte-style health-and-wellness center. Credit: Michael Dinan

Nearly all the walls have come down in the 16,000-square-foot space, which is being transformed into a comprehensive and varied wellness center where, within months, New Canaanites will be able to avail themselves of services offered on an á la carte basis, said Peter Lane of NCLC.

“I think what is unique about it is that the center of the facility and surrounding areas will be for New Canaan, and it’s a non-membership facility, so we hope that a lot more people will be able to access their health and wellness here as opposed to a traditional gym where you have your membership and you’re locked in,” Lane said Wednesday morning, standing near what will become an open fitness area in the heart of the yet-unnamed facility. “There is much more flexibility here to come in and get what you want, whether it’s yoga, which is great, or if you want to just go see one of the wellness professionals, that’s terrific, or come in and get on a cardio machine by the day—you are welcome.”

Though information is not yet available about which local professionals will work out of the space, they will include non-medical services and many experts in areas such as alternative and integrated therapies, Lane said.

Together, those experts will create a “dynamic and synergistic” community, he said. That’s especially true in the studios and suites—in those, Lane said, a “communal concept” will take hold whereby independent, local businesspeople who are experts in a specific area and perhaps aren’t right for their own full-time commercial space in New Canaan may rent by the hour or divide up use of a space with other professionals.

“We will have a critical mass of talent and offerings here for people looking to stay well and be healthy,” Lane said.

Meanwhile, development of a longer-term vision for the building as a whole is underway, Lane said, centering on plans for its first floor (upstairs, with the courts) and guided by the idea of opening the ample facility and its 150 parking spaces to the community in new ways. Pending several approvals, Lane said, while preserving the use of the club’s courts, NCLC officials are looking at using space there for meetings, parties and other events.

“We really want this facility to be more of a community center,” Lane said. “We’re looking forward to some exciting changes.”