Point Pilates (pointpilatessd.com) prepared to open its intimate 4-reformer studio at its current 500sf location in 2020 on the very day the US shut down due to the COVID pandemic. In spite of the delay, they have thrived and are taking the next step by moving into 1500sf that was offered to them in the same building.

Their 4-reformer classes will be expanded to 8 and there will be two additional private studios that can be used simultaneously with classes in the main studio. This will be a huge upgrade, giving them a lot of latitude and flexibility in scheduling, which isn’t possible in their current studio. Additionally, there will be a student lounge & nutritional consultation room, a staff lounge, and a large storage closet. After operating in a single room for three years, this will feel palatial to them!

I am going to take you along on this journey over the next couple of months of this tenant improvement. As you might expect, there are a lot of moving parts and a great deal of planning regarding how each room will function in minute detail. Obviously, the selection of all the finishes, furnishings, equipment, and decor is part of that process. There are documents tracking timelines, purchases, “to-do” lists, and the budget. Because if you don’t plan for it, and track it, there is every likelihood it will come back to bite you. And yet, there will still be surprises. It’s the nature of the business because there are a lot of variables and only so much one has direct control of. Supply chain interruptions can create delays and for that reason, we are using as many local vendors as possible.

If you are going to be doing a project of your own, my best advice is to plan, plan, plan! Start with a budget and use a spreadsheet to track your purchases against the line items of your budget. Keep a schedule/timeline of the trades to avoid having them on top of one another. Also, schedule your purchases so you have everything on-site when you need it. That means you must make those design decisions as part of the planning phase. Don’t leave anything out…right down to the hardware. You don’t want your project to be held up waiting on something that you failed to order at the appropriate time. I tell my clients and mentees that it’s like cooking a meal and getting it on the table at the same time and at the appropriate temperature.

Here are a few “before” photos of the existing space: 1 & 2) main studio with existing walls (will be removed), and private studios glass walls; 3) hallway, which will be eliminated with the removal of the two walls; 4) student lounge; 5) employee lounge

Here’s a photo of the main space with the two walls removed and the ceiling repairs:

I hope you enjoy this journey. As of this writing, the painters have started the prep and painting of the space. You can see a sample of the new color on the far white(ish) wall, which is specified throughout the space (Behr: Night Blooming Jasmine).

Next month I will share the final space plan and photos of the updated space with fresh paint and new LVP flooring. Since I also do their Feng Shui (they call me their secret weapon), I’ll be sharing a little about that aspect as well. I hope you will enjoy taking this journey with me!