Facility Name: Equinox on Wall Street
Location: New York City
Opened: 2000
Square Footage: 38,000 square feet
In a Former Life: A Chase Manhattan bank inside a historic building on Wall Street
Cost of Renovation: Equinox would not disclose this information but said it was a substantial cost.
Fun Fact: The club transformed the vault into the men's locker room.
A 1912 New York City skyscraper received a new lease on life in 2000 when Equinox transformed part of the 37-story building into an upscale 38,000-square-foot health club. The former Bankers Trust Company Building, renamed 14 Wall Street, spans a city block across from the New York Stock Exchange.
Eight years ago, Equinox purchased the space formerly owned by Chase Manhattan Bank and inserted 20,000 square feet of health club amenities inside the banking hall shell, which had 36-foot high ceilings, warm brown paneling and Venetian plaster walls. By working with the New York architecture firm Rockwell Group, the club mixed historic design elements with the latest equipment and amenities for a more modern look.
"It captures a unique, authentic vibe of the financial districts while adaptively reusing a memorable piece of architecture," says Paul Boardman, special advisor to the CEO of Equinox. "We created a fitness institution surrounded by the world's financial institutions."
The building, which is on the historic tour of the Wall Street district, appeals to area stockbrokers and corporate executives, says Saulo Espaillat, general manager. To make the executives feel at home, Equinox used blues, browns and mustard yellow and added executive touches, such as marble.
"It has a corporate bank feel, and it looks like a modern Grand Central Station," he says. "A lot of presidents of companies enjoy that look."
The prospective members also appreciate the history of the building, especially those who remember when the facility was a bank instead of a high-end health club.
"We had a former bank teller visit our club, and he was amazed at the transformation," Espaillat says.