Planet Fitness Headed to Falls

Menomonee Falls will soon be home to another 24-hour fitness center.

Planet Fitness will open a franchise location in the 18,000-square-foot space currently occupied by the Salvation Army. The franchise’s applications were submitted to the village late last week. The Salvation Army would relocate to a smaller space right next door.

Somerstone, LLC is under contract to purchase Colonial Plaza, and the company has a two-phase plan to redevelop the retail center, starting with the northern portion that includes the Salvation Army. According to an application with the village, Somerstone plans to invest $1 million into improvements, and hopes to complete the first phase of the project in the next six months.

The exact plans for the second phase of the project aren’t completely clear yet. During a Plan Commission meeting Tuesday, preliminary plans were presented by a Somerstone representative. It looks like the southern half of the center could be razed, and apartments or condominiums built in its place. However, official plans have yet to be submitted to the village. 

Somerstone intends to upgrade facades, upgrade signage, improve landscaping, and upgrade building infrastructure.

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One local business owner has filed an email with the village opposing the fitness center. Brad Posnanski, of Bradley Realty, is concerned that the village may already ready be too saturated with fitness centers. Posnanski is a member of Elite Fitness, but also cited the construction of the Wisconsin Athletic Club, and the existing United Fitness Center, Tri-County YMCA, and Snap Fitness as other clubs filling the market need.

“I do not want to stop or prolong the wheels progress regarding Colonial Plaza…(it does) not seem to be in alignment with the bigger/grand plan for the village as a whole,” Posnanski wrote. “This area has a fair amount of fitness clubs…I believe it will not be that successful of an environment.”

Somerstone is a Milwaukee-based real estate development, investment, and brokerage firm. The firm, lead by three real estate professionals, owns commercial real estate throughout the Midwest.