After months of talks in a turbulent Covid market, the incoming tenant at a Rochester property we represent walked away from a lease agreement. But you know the old adage: When one door closes, a ceiling opens.
The surprise vacancy left broker Jon Norton scrambling. The unit featured a beauty spa finish—definitely not for everyone. With a little imaginative marketing, Jon soon found a boutique gym business looking for space in the heart of Rochester.
The gym’s requirements and the unit dimensions with every wall opened seemed like a perfect fit. On the horizontal plane, at least. For the vertical plane, the gym needed a height reaching to the peaked roof. Meanwhile the insulated ceiling, installed decades ago, hung very low.
The gym owner envisioned demolishing the low ceiling, and with it, the HVAC and electrical systems to completely refresh the space. He made a big ask: a construction loan from the landlord for a lot of work ahead.
The landlord was skittish about such an ambitious, messy rebuild. But Jon stepped in to negotiate a deal that provided our client with a 10-year lease, a sizeable deposit as collateral, and the promise of monitoring the project personally.
With the help of a great local contractor, the rebuild is complete, our landlord is thrilled, and HIIT Quarters Gym is now occupying 528 N. Main Street Unit C.
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