PEABODY — Life Time North Shore, a new, 120,000-square-foot athletic resort and spa at the North Shore Mall, is banking on being the place to be when it comes to fitness, family and fun.
Make no mistake — this is not your parent’s workout facility. Simply put, it might be the most luxurious experience a fitness fanatic will ever have. Hard as it is to imagine, this place used to be a parking lot.
The product of a unique partnership with mall owner Simon Property Group, Life Time is hoping it will become a destination for consumers.
“We hope that this will help drive people back to the mall and reinvigorate it, but we also feel this will become a destination place where people want to be,” said General Manager Andrew O’Donnell. “People are dying to get out of their homes and are prioritizing their health and wellness more than ever. It’s about more than fitness — it’s about being happy and healthy for life.”
O’Donnell said the facility caters to members within a 25- to 30-minute driving radius, reaching as far north as Gloucester and into southern New Hampshire.
You name it — Life Time has it. Its three floors contain everything you can imagine relating to health, exercise and wellness along with indoor and outdoor aquatic centers. The indoor center contains three pools, including lap and leisure pools, hot tubs and swim lessons for all ages and a USA Swimming swim team.
Just a stone’s throw from Route 114 and 128, the outdoor facility feels more like an oasis with two water slides, rentable cabanas for groups of up to six and 350 lounge chairs. It even has a poolside bistro with a full liquor license and service right to your chair.
Life Time opened its doors to the public July 2. After finishing a workout, Gloucester resident Nicolle Sugre went to “work” in the first-floor lounge.
“It’s just nice to get out,” she said. “I’m so sick of looking at my home office.”
Sugre said Life Time is the perfect home office away from home.
“The plan is to come here five days a week,” Sugre said. “It depends on the season. I love to run outside, but not in this heat. This is a perfect option for the days when I can’t run outside.”
The lounge features free wi-fi and a coffee bar with a rolling beer tap and full liquor license. Across the lobby is LifeCafe, a nutrition-focused, fast-casual cafe featuring a full menu and grab-and-go assortments, along with Peet’s coffee.
“It’s all healthy food with many options to meet our members’ dietary needs,” O’Donnell said. “It’s a perfect place to grab something quickly on your way out or you can also have sit-down service.”
The facility has a full-service spa (hair, facials, nails, etc.) which is open to non-members. The spa has specially insulated walls to block out noise, ensuring a tranquil experience. The entire facility has enhanced, hospital-grade air filters for enhanced comfort and safety.
Life Time features dedicated studios for unique group fitness, cycle, yoga and Pilates and a Barre dance studio. One-on-one personal training and small-group personal training classes are offered. Members can live stream from home for cycle and yoga classes via a Life Time app. Members can sign up for classes or check schedules using large touch-screen monitors located throughout the building.
The third floor has more than 400 pieces of top-notch cardiovascular training equipment.
A Kids Academy is available for child care needs for kids from three months to 12 years for up to three hours per day. The academy features tumbling, martial arts, language and learning classes as well as a basketball court.
Life Time even has a licensed chiropractor on site in its LT Recovery center which offers members a multitude of workout recovery opportunities including metabolic assessments and nutrition coaching along with full chiropractic and physical therapy care.
Dr. Don Levin, DC said Life Time fulfills the needs of consumers whose lifestyle needs are rapidly changing.
“I’ve always worked in gyms, but this is different as it is a completely holistic approach to health and gives people the services they now want and deserve,” he said.
There are two full-size basketball courts, which are home to Ultimate Hoops leagues and also offer skill instruction.
There are three separate locker rooms with whirlpools, saunas and steam rooms. Members enjoy complimentary towel and locker service and body products. There is also a dressing room for families. O”Donnell said basic membership starts at $179 per month.
“With the addition of Northshore (Mall), we now offer five Life Time destinations offering amazing health, wellness, sport and lifestyle experiences designed to support healthy, happy lives for all ages,” says Life Time President and COO Jeff Zwiefel. “The addition of our Life Time experience, combined with all that Simon offers at Northshore Mall, is game-changing for members, residents and the broader community.”
For more information, please call 630.203.5400 or visit https://www.lifetime.life/life-time-locations/ma-northshore.
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
