I have been kind of dreading going to this location for a while because every single time I walk by it looks so crowded it gives me anxiety. I finally swallowed my pride (and a Xanax! oh....damn I wish that were true...) and attacked it head-on.
This gym is great for the overworked Union Square business professional. It is indeed busy and I went during an off-time. First floor is the entrance-way (hardly a lobby), all of the cardio equipment, the main studio, and a small stretching area. Downstairs is the men's locker room and the cycling studio. Upstairs is everything else (free weights, machines, etc). I have absolutely no clue where the women's locker room is. They may not even have one for all I know, or it was clearly labeled and I just simply missed it.
The problem with this gym, besides looking like it was painted in the mid-90's, is everything seems just a touch outdated and overused. I did not have to wait for a machine upstairs but it still had that "erratic" feeling to it. Maybe because it's a smaller space overall? But the ceilings were so high!
The locker room was cramped (old-school dark wood lockers) and maze-like. Showers were fine, sauna, steam room. Just a little small and a general sense of "busy." And there were a few more gays than expected...and the girls all seemed like they were in shape and moderately attractive on the average. There was quite the eclectic mix though, including a blind guy and a guy in a wheelchair.
Those were firsts for me.
My grade: C+
