Published October 23, 2026 | Written by the Mission Realty Team.
Onelife Fitness, a Tysons-based gym chain, plans two new Richmond-area gyms: 75,000 square feet at Avenlea in Short Pump and 65,000 square feet at Midtown64 in Henrico. Each is a ground-up build of roughly $24 million. Construction is slated for 2027, and CEO Ori Gorfine told BizSense the company hopes to open both by the end of 2028.
Richmond BizSense reporter Jackie DiBartolomeo reported the plans on October 21. This post is our summary, with local context added. The original story is here: Gym chain Onelife Fitness plans entry into local market at Avenlea, Midtown64 developments. Onelife is still working through plan submittals, so these are plans, not permitted buildings. Our other Richmond area news posts follow the same format.
Two sites, two developments
Midtown64 is a 46-acre development across from Reynolds Crossing, from Baltimore developer Greenberg Gibbons and Richmond hotelier Shamin Hotels. BizSense says Onelife and Trader Joe’s would anchor a retail and entertainment area there that could reach 130,000 square feet. We covered the project’s hotel financing in our post on the Midtown64 Tempo and Homewood Suites bond request. See also our Midtown64 community page.
Avenlea, from Markel | Eagle Partners, spans more than 180 acres on the north side of the interstate in Short Pump, out to the Goochland County line. Gorfine said the gym would sit across from the Wegmans and called traffic and access on the northwest side of Richmond a draw. Onelife is handling both buildouts and is looking for local contractors.
What each gym would include
Per Gorfine, both locations would have a four- to six-lane saltwater pool, an in-ground cold plunge and hot tub, strength floors of roughly 15,000 square feet, a turf training area of about 3,500 square feet, and five to six studios for Pilates, barre and yoga, plus a spin studio. Avenlea would add an indoor pickleball area. Gorfine said the company has “had our eye on Richmond for a long time.” A third location of about 65,000 square feet is planned for the south side of the region, with no site disclosed.
The housing around both gyms
Both gyms are anchors inside larger housing developments, and the homes arrive in phases. BizSense reports Avenlea will include roughly 1,600 homes and at least 150,000 square feet of commercial space, with build-out expected to take about a decade and site work underway. A February 2025 BizSense report said its neighborhoods would include houses, townhomes, condos and apartments.
Midtown64 is a roughly half-billion-dollar project. BizSense reports it will hold about 1,000 apartments, nearly 200 for-sale townhomes and 350 hotel rooms, plus retail and office space, over about eight years, and that construction began in recent months. A gym opening in late 2028 would come well before either project is built out, so the announcement does not mean those homes exist or are for sale.
Henrico’s Planning Department says its HenricoNEXT 2045 plan, adopted July 28, 2026, focuses on infill and redevelopment. The county also posts a Multi-Family Residential Directory sorted by district, type and status. The file is dated April 30, 2025, so it predates these announcements. We have no price or sales figures tied to either development, so we are not forecasting any. For homes under construction in the county today, see our new construction search.
What to watch
Plan approvals, the 2027 construction start and the undisclosed third site. Henrico’s planning calendar lists Planning Commission public hearings on November 10 and 12, 2026. We have not checked whether either gym is on those agendas.
Browse current Henrico County listings in our property search and save the ones you like.
Our Henrico County page covers the wider area. Other West End items: Re+forme Lagree and Pilates plans a second studio at Village Shopping Center and Pinnacle Living’s plan for Virginia Crossings. Our buy with us page explains how we work with buyers.
Frequently asked questions
When will the gyms open?
Gorfine told BizSense the company hopes to open both, plus a third location, by the end of 2028. Construction is slated to begin in 2027, and plan submittals are underway.
How much will each gym cost?
Roughly $24 million per location, according to Gorfine.
How big are the locations?
Midtown64 would be 65,000 square feet over two levels, Avenlea 75,000 square feet over two levels, and the undisclosed south-side location about 65,000 square feet.
Who else is anchoring Midtown64?
BizSense reports Trader Joe’s is also an anchor tenant, along with a pair of hotels totaling 350 rooms. The article does not give an opening date for Trader Joe’s.
Who owns Onelife?
Brothers Kirk and John Galiani founded it in 2011, and private equity firm 26North Partners acquired it in 2024. BizSense counts nearly 80 other locations open or in development.
Why did Onelife pick these sites?
Gorfine cited convenience and accessibility, said talks for both sites began six to nine months ago, and noted Greenberg Gibbons is already a landlord partner on a Baltimore project.
Is Onelife hiring local contractors?
It is handling both buildouts itself and told BizSense it is looking for local contractors.
