Legends of Pittsburgh fitness center eyes April opening at former Holy Martyrs in Tarentum

The potential owners of the former Holy Martyrs Church in Tarentum are moving forward with their original plan to open a fitness center inside the shuttered facility and build a practice field alongside it.

This comes just one week after Legends of Pittsburgh co-owner Stefan Lundberg was told the floor of the church wouldn’t support the weight of the gym equipment.

“On the original drawing the church had given us, it wasn’t clear how thick the floor was,” said Lundberg, a Kiski Area graduate and former Pittsburgh Riverhounds professional soccer player. “It was only by a percentage point that we thought it wouldn’t work. Turns out, they went back and measured and found the church floor is perfect for what we need. So we’re back to the original plan.”

Legends of Pittsburgh is expected to move from the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer to the 51-year-old church building at 344 W. Ninth Ave. after the sale closes in December.

Council approved a conditional-use application in August.

Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf said he is checking with the borough’s solicitor to determine whether the original approval can stand or if council needs to have another hearing because of the changes.

Lundberg is eyeing an April opening. He’s excited to operate in Tarentum, as the gym draws many clients from the borough.

“We hope that we will attract even more once we are in a central location,” he said. “We’re excited to offer all the same amenities we have now with both a gym and multiple turf spaces.

“But our biggest change will be having brand-new locker rooms, which we weren’t able to do at our current space.”

The 2.76-acre property in the West Tarentum neighborhood has a total assessed value of about $106,000 and a market value of about $860,000, according to Allegheny County real estate records.

The addition is expected to be a prefabricated steel-frame building, about 60 by 120 feet, with a heavy-duty fabric covering.

“They’re going to put several windows on all four sides and garage doors that can be opened in nice weather,” code enforcement officer Anthony Bruni said.

The church, Lundberg said, has a lot of exposed brick and cool character that will give a unique feel to the gym.

He said that building will open first and the addition will be constructed in spring.

“Indoor training ends in March, so we’ll have a little leeway for the field,” he said. “The fitness center can move over seamlessly, we’re hoping.”

The planning commission recommended cement planters and parking bollards outside the new construction for added safety. The items would stop an out-of-control vehicle, Bruni said.

Mayor Bob Lang questioned the security of a fabric building, asking, “What’s to stop someone from cutting into it?”

Boddorf said the design is akin to Army medical tents. There is a similar building used as a covered practice field on Duquesne University’s campus.

The fabric has a 30-year warranty, Bruni said.

The auxiliary building will connect to the church and have its own HVAC and lighting systems.

The main entrance to the facilities will be through the church, using a computerized key fob.

There are 80 parking spaces available, plus a grassy area on the Grantham Street side of the building.

The 24-hour center will offer specialized services for training to people of all ages.

“We hope to make the strong community we have already built even stronger,” Lundberg said.

Holy Martyrs was among five churches in Guardian Angels Parish shuttered last year by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Tom Babinsack, Guardian Angels administrator, said parish officials have declined to comment until the sale is complete.

Bruni is happy to get the building back on the borough tax rolls.

Councilwoman Carrie Fox agreed.

“I’m just happy someone’s utilizing it,” she said.