Life Time to open co-working spaces in Twin Cities

Life Time is extending its "healthy way of life" philosophy into the office.

The Chanhassen-based fitness center giant announced Monday that it will open several co-working offices in the Twin Cities.

"It is a very elevated experience just like the Life Time brand you'd expect from our athletic country clubs and resorts all centered around living a healthy, productive and fulfilling work life," said Michael Burgess, president of Life Time sales and marketing and chief digital officer. "What's truly distinctive is that they are adjacent to this amazing amenity, the Life Time athletic resort, and they are integrated together."

Life Time plans to add Life Time Work locations in St. Louis Park, downtown Minneapolis and at its yet-to-open Edina location at Southdale Center. While the co-working space in Edina would be connected to the fitness facility, Life Time is still evaluating whether the other two locations will be within their gyms or somewhere close by, Life Time spokeswoman Natalie Bushaw said.

The Minneapolis and St. Louis Park workspaces are expected to open in early 2019. The Southdale Center location is under construction and scheduled to open in the second half of next year.

Life Time Work is critical to company founder and Chief Executive Bahram Akradi's long-term vision of establishing across the country pedestrian-friendly Life Time villages centered around healthy living.

Last month, the first Life Time Work opened at the Life Time club in Ardmore, Pa., outside Philadelphia.

In addition to Life Time Work, Life Time has also recently started to roll out Life Time Living, the company's residential component as part of some of its athletic resort developments. Life Time is working on the design of a 150- to 160-unit luxury apartment complex in Las Vegas.

Akradi said after spending "hundreds of millions of dollars" developing Life Time's athletic resorts, Life Time Work and Life Time Living are a "natural combination."

"You can conveniently get to your workspace, you can get to your exercise, you can get to your massage therapist, you can get to all the things that you want," Akradi said. "It is also really helpful for the environment."

Life Time currently has about 135 athletic clubs across the country and is on pace to open around one a month. A good portion of Life Time's future developments will have a Life Time Work office attached or nearby, Akradi said.

Some of the amenities offered at Life Time Work sites are similar to other co-working spaces that have recently opened in the Twin Cities, such as private and shared workspaces, conference rooms and snacks. One of the exclusive perks is that Life Time Work subscribers will also have premium access to Life Time fitness centers, Akradi said.

Life Time currently has a waitlist for Twin Cities members who are interested in Life Time Work.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495 Twitter: @nicolenorfleet