Sarasota Fitness Center Relocating from Mira Mar to a New Downtown Site

Key Information

• Current Location: Mira Mar building, Sarasota
• New Location: 1956 2nd St., former BB&T building
• Size: 12,000 square feet
• Owner: Jefferson Charles
• Amenities: Infrared saunas, IV therapy, massage therapy, smoothie bar, full-service gym
• Timeline: New facility to open in early October 2025
• Lease Term: 8 years with options to extend to 20 years

Jefferson Fit, a gym established just two years ago in Sarasota’s Mira Mar building, is relocating ahead of planned renovations and will find a new home later this year.

The locally owned fitness and wellness center will occupy 1956 2nd St. in the former BB&T building, situated at the intersection of Links Avenue and 2nd Street. This new location is directly across from the Aster & Links apartments and Sprouts Farmers Market, about two blocks north of Main Street.

The new ground floor space will measure 12,000 square feet.

Owner Jefferson Charles stated that this move enables the gym to expand its services and amenities. Although the expansion was part of the long-term vision, the situation at Mira Mar accelerated the timeline.

“The idea was always to move on, expand, and add more amenities, but with the demolition plans, it became the perfect time to do that,” Charles explains. “We can’t extend the lease anymore, so we decided to act now.”

The owners of the historic Mira Mar building, which is over 100 years old, received zoning approval in July to construct two new 18-story condominium towers behind the current structure. Revenue from this project will support the preservation and restoration of the Mira Mar building to its original form, as it has some structural issues.

As part of the move, Jefferson Fit plans to introduce additional services such as infrared saunas, IV therapy, a salt and red light therapy booth, and massage therapy.

Members will also benefit from a smoothie bar and a full-service gym that includes both cardio and strength equipment, personal training, and group fitness classes.

The new location will also offer increased visibility, thanks to its strategic placement and layout.

Charles noted that finding the right new location took about a year. He even considered having to operate two separate locations to accommodate new features but ultimately decided against this to retain a unified vision.

“Typically, people need to go to multiple places to access everything they want for their fitness journey. Instead of visiting several locations for different services, we decided to consolidate everything under one roof,” Charles said.

Jefferson Fit has signed an initial lease for eight years with options that could extend the lease for up to 20 years.

In the meantime, the gym will continue to operate from its current Mira Mar location until the new facility opens in early October 2025.