Officials: Life Time Fitness project in Lake Zurich paused, not canceled
Despite a long pause in construction, Lake Zurich and Life Time Fitness officials say they remain committed to building a new luxury health club on the site of the razed Hackney's restaurant.
Construction began on Old Rand Road in July 2019, about 14 months after the village board approved the plan over sharp opposition from many residents. Work was halted in March as a result of the global pandemic, according to a message on the village's website.
"Life Time has suffered serious losses in membership revenue due to the closure of all clubs," the statement reads. "Clubs are slowly resuming operations, with reduced membership and limited cash flow."
Lake Zurich Community Development Director Sarosh Saher said a Life Time official told the village staff the company will work to ensure the property is properly maintained until construction resumes.
"He has assured us that none of this will change Life Time's long-term plans for all their projects and clubs, and that the company as a whole will continue to grow," Sarosh said. "They continue to monitor the guidance from the state. which changes frequently, to determine their next steps."
Life Time spokeswoman Natalie Bushaw said the company's focus is getting its existing 152 clubs open and back to full operating capacity.
"Once this happens, we'll be able to shift attention and expenses back toward the completion of Life Time Lake Zurich, which we continue to be very excited about," Bushaw said. "At this time, there isn't a time frame to share."
Life Time's initial plan called for a three-story facility standing 60 feet tall. But residents and village officials alike expressed concern over the proposed height, leading the company to remove the top floor and build a basement instead.
Besides the basement, one of the most significant changes to the plan was the building's location on the property. Initially the plan called for it to be near the center, but over time the building moved closer to the southwest corner of the property to be farther from nearby homes.