Lafayette officials approved moving forward with placing a fitness center in the former King Soopers building along U.S. 287 and Baseline Road.
VASA Fitness, a membership-based fitness center, submitted a planned-unit development amendment to transform the former grocery store location, 480 U.S. 287, into a roughly 55,600-square-foot fitness center. The building is currently zoned as a regional business district, which allows for recreational use under a special use review. “Zoning” is a local government’s rules for what can be built in different areas of town.
The city Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the Lafayette City Council approve the special use review request during the commission’s Wednesday meeting. Commissioners Fatima Hirji, Mark Ortiz and Zachary Mettler were not in attendance. A date for the council’s review of the request was not noted in the Planning Commission’s agenda Wednesday.
VASA proposes to build a pool, sauna, steam room, cold plunge pool, multiple studios and gym space, according to city materials. Significant changes for the interior of the building are planned, with minor exterior changes. The amendment also proposes utility, parking and accessibility updates.
Brad Nelson, senior architectural manager with Farnsworth Group on behalf of VASA, said according to a traffic engineer, they expect to see less traffic generated when compared to the traffic brought in by the grocery store.
According to Lafayette Senior Planner Jesse Rounds, VASA is estimated to generate about 1,700 daily vehicle trips while the grocery store generated roughly 6,197 daily trips.
Commissioners noted that Kroger, parent company of King Soopers, own the building and would be leasing the space to VASA. While the city has limited say in who gets to occupy the building, officials are happy to see VASA take over the space and not leave the building vacant for long, according to the commission.
“I can’t imagine another use that is this qualified or that would use (the space) as well,” Chair Darcia Thomas said.
During public comment, one resident said it is common for empty big retail spaces to sit vacant for years, but the idea of the space being used again within a year is attractive to him and his neighbors, as it prevents blight in the area.
In October 2024, the King Soopers in Lafayette at the intersection of U.S. 287 and Baseline Road closed amid the grand opening of a new King Soopers roughly half a mile away in Erie.