After a years-long decline in membership, a once-foundering Lincoln Park health club has new owners and a renewed focus.

The new owners of the former Lakeshore Athletic Club in Lincoln Park have boosted membership from 2,500 memberships to 3,000 memberships. They also have revamped the facility, which features a new rooftop deck and cafe. Reconstruction improvements are expected to be complete by this fall. And they’ve also redubbed it, tweaking the name to Lakeshore Sport and Fitness.

The gym, which is located at 1320 W. Fullerton Ave., includes more than 185,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. It features eight indoor tennis courts; a rooftop platform tennis complex; two swimming pools; a one-fourth mile indoor running track; cardio studios; weight machines; Pilates and yoga studios; a cycling studio; basketball and volleyball courts; a youth complex with gym, infant and toddler areas; and a spa that offers massages, acupuncture and Reiki.

Founded as Lakeshore Athletic Club, the gym has been part of Lincoln Park for almost 40 years. Reading Wilson, one of the three new owners, said they’re busy sprucing up the club.

“It’s been a big part of the Lincoln Park neighborhood,” he said during an interview in the café area of the gym, adding that at one time the club boasted as many as 8,000 memberships.

The number of memberships dipped down to about 2,500 before Wilson and his two managing partners and owners — Peter Goldman and Jonathan Bross — bought the gym in December 2010, he said. Now there are about 3,000 memberships. A membership costs $120 to about $225 a month, he said.

Wilson, who studied economics at Northwestern University, said that he and Goldman already were members of the gym and played tennis together, and the three all live and socialize in Lincoln Park and share many connections. Bross and Goldman were childhood friends, and the three men wanted to see “the vibrancy of the club” return. So they put together a group of 33 investors, including themselves, and bought the space.

They’ve been in the midst of refurbishing and trying to restore the gym “to its glory years in the ’80s and ’90s when it was at its peak,” Wilson said.

“We’re bringing life back to the heart of Lincoln Park,” he said.

Some people around the facility have been long-term members.

“You bump into people who have been here for 30 years,” Wilson said.

For instance, assistant general manager Joan Grzesinski once was the head of children’s programming at the facility when she oversaw 4- and 5-year-olds, and now they’re growing up, living in Lincoln Park and going to the gym.

“She’s been a great team member,” Wilson said.

Wilson said that he doesn’t see the facility as a place where members just exercise, shower and leave. “We’re a club,” he said, and members like getting to know each other.

Goldman first joined the facility in 1984 and stayed until he moved to the East Coast for college. Then when he returned to Chicago, he joined the gym again.

“I’ve made a lot of good friends here,” Goldman said. “It’s been incredibly fulfilling to bring the community back to life.”

Wilson gave Skyline a tour of the gym, pointing out improved lighting above the indoor tennis courts. The lights are brighter, use less energy and reduce the humming sound of noise from the previous lights.

Then he pointed out the fourth-mile indoor track that circles the facility, and the new exercise equipment downstairs. Outside, there are 300 free parking spots. Back indoors, kids hollered and splashed with excitement around a swimming pool. On that rainy day, nobody was hanging out on the rooftop deck, but it has an impressive, welcoming patio that can hold 400 people.

Back inside, Wilson said, pointed out a studio filled with exercise bikes as a co-worker meticulously cleaned all 32 bikes. After each spinning/cycling class, workers wipe down the bikes and place fresh towels on the bikes to maintain cleanliness.

“We are going to continue to reinvest and improve the facility,” Wilson said, wrapping up the tour. A new cardio space will be added, and the basketball courts will be resurfaced, he said. “There’s a long list of projects.”

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By Ravi N from Bucktown
Posted: 11/24/2011 1:40 PM

The changes were long needed. And the general vibe from everyone is positive. Hoped Group Fitness would add back the morning instructors from before. They rocked.

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By Chris from Lincoln Park
Posted: 09/05/2011 9:11 AM

Pumped about the new cardio room opening up.

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By Betsy
Posted: 09/03/2011 6:17 PM

It\\\'s good that they are rehabbing the club, which really needed it to stay open, but the owners need to focus on the *exercise* areas. Only the cosmetic and social areas have been done. If it\\\'s an athletic club (sports and fitness), the money (from dues) needs to go to the exercise facilities. This is why people join and renew their memberships.

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By John from Lincoln Park
Posted: 09/02/2011 6:35 AM

The Group Fitness classes are fantastic! Always a great work out.

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By kate p from gold coast
Posted: 09/01/2011 7:17 PM

The roof deck, designed & created by Chicago Roof deck & Garden is amazing! I got to take a look at it just before competition and it definitely has me tempted to become a member!

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By Kate from gold coast
Posted: 09/01/2011 7:15 PM

The rooftop patio, designed and created by Chicago Roof Deck & Garden is amazing! I got to take a look at it in progress and it definitely makes me tempted to be a member!

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By Boyee from Mid-North in Lincoln Park
Posted: 09/01/2011 3:51 PM

This is great that this club is being renovated.

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By Lisa from Lincoln Park
Posted: 09/01/2011 10:04 AM

Everything that is happening here is absolutely incredible... and as a long-time member extremely over-due!!!! The new facilities look awesome and the rooftop oasis is to die for. I have even noticed that ALL the employees have better attitudes and seem to actually enjoy being there. The blonde waitress on the roof will go above and beyound to make your evening special! The camp counselors could not have made my sons summer and more enjoyable!!!! EXCELLET!

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By Allison from lincoln park
Posted: 09/01/2011 7:57 AM

I recently re joined the club and I am so happy I did! The roof deck is AMAZING- it's hard to find a grassy open space to lie out in the sun and have lunch after a work out. These new owners are definitely on the right track. I am psyched to see what else they will do to improve the club.