Avenue - October 2009

To

Good Health MICHAEL WEINSTEIN

Trainer David Kirsch in the

fitness center he designed at

Fifteen Madison Square North

At select Manhattan condominiums, living longer is about living better

“My fitness philosophy is predicated on the belief that one needs to balance mind and body,” says David Kirsch, celebrity trainer and founder and owner of

Manhattan’s Madison Square Club. “So my training is all about

integrating the two.” It is with this in mind that Kirsch designed

the fitness center at Fifteen Madison Square North, the

park-side condominium that merges classic and modern style

with Zen-like balance.

“Working out is both a physical and spiritual thing,” Kirsch continues. “Whether it’s the beginning of the day and you need to tackle whatever it throws at you, or it’s the end of the day and you need to unwind, you want to look and feel good.” This understanding has led to the addition of spa-quality fitness facilities in some of the city’s most elite residential developments. “Developers are now building fitness centers that rival or exceed the city’s most sought after health clubs,” says Kelly Kennedy Mack, president of Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group. “For some buyers, a top-notch workout at home is the ultimate luxury.”

But private residential fitness centers do more than address the desire to exercise, they encourage it. “My training has been about anticipating the reasons why people don’t work out,” says Kirsch, who found that intimidation and laziness are most common. In-building gyms negate both. First, they offer the opportunity to work out with a diverse group of people. “These facilities appeal to young people that are already physically active, families that need activities for the kids and older adults who have more leisure time to really take care of themselves,” says Joanie Schumacher, sales director at The Laurel. And second, “You don’t have to travel. It’s convenient and practical, only an elevator ride away,” she adds. “It’s a no-excuse approach to being healthy, fit and taking care of yourself,” Kirsh asserts. “It’s accessible and affordable.”

The latter may be more important than ever. “Right now, with the pressures of the economy, people are spending more time at the gym reducing their stress levels,” Schumacher says. “It’s less expensive than a membership, and you feel terrific afterwards.” Perhaps it’s this workout high that makes residents of fitness center-equipped buildings so friendly. Rather than strangers coming home to the same address, they become neighbors with something in common. “People get to know each other,” Elaine Diratz, managing director of Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group, explains. “It becomes a real community, and it’s fostered by the fitness amenity.” ;