121 Fitness, a Case Western Reserve University Fitness Center, recently announced its plans to relocate and expand its Uptown facilities, tripling its capacity and offering more fitness classes, according to CWRU Fitness Centers.

Known as 121’s Uptown Cycle, the studio is located next to Mitchell’s Ice Cream on Euclid Avenue and will relocate to a space currently occupied by Cleveland Yoga, also on Euclid, after the latter’s lease ends in April.

“[121’s Uptown Cycle] will expand [its] boutique fitness studio offerings well beyond just cycle classes,” said Bryn Mota, senior director of University Fitness Centers. “We will include yoga, massages and other classes and services.”

The University owns 121 Fitness Center and its affiliated studios, 121’s Uptown Cycle among them. 121’s Uptown Cycle opened in 2017 and offers discounted classes to CWRU students, but also serves the greater University Circle community.

The Euclid studio is set to open in May.

CWRU Real Estate Director Kevin Slesh said, “The expanded fitness studio fills the void created by Cleveland Yoga’s decision not to renew [its] lease, and the space provides the opportunity to increase the size of spin classes while still offering yoga classes.”

Slesh added that the university plans to fill 121’s Uptown Cycle’s current space with retail use that “augments the adjacent spaces of Mitchell’s Ice Cream and ABC Tavern.”

According to Mota, the fitness center’s new space will also allow the increased variety of services in a more centralized location. This will make 121’s Uptown Cycle more accessible to the surrounding community, which she hopes will encourage mindful programming amongst a wider demographic.

“Our mission is to inspire [CWRU] and its surrounding communities to be active and well,” Mota said. “In particular, it is so important for CWRU students to exercise and engage in stress-reducing activities regularly.”

Regardless of the university’s efforts, many patrons of Cleveland Yoga are disappointed by the decision not to renew its lease. As a first-year student and softball player, Sarah Miller appreciated the studio’s payment policy, which she feels accommodated a flexible schedule.

“It was really nice having a paid drop-in option [for yoga classes],” she said. “That way, I didn’t need to pay for a membership, because I never really know when I can go with my class and softball schedules.”

Miller, however, still believes the new facility will be widely received.

She said, “If 121 Uptown Cycle is trying to make yoga more popular among their clients, [the new location] is probably a good idea for them.”

Cleveland Yoga will continue to operate at its two other locations once its lease on Euclid ends next month. Mota said CWRU Fitness Centers are working to make sure stability remains amongst the studio’s former patrons’ fitness regimens.

“We’ve served the community for 30 years and understand the strong bond between exercisers and their studios and instructors,” she said. “We will do everything we can to limit the disruption to the loyal Cleveland Yoga patrons’ yoga practices, and look forward to co-creating our new studio with students, former patrons and the community.”