“Unconventional” Gym Proposed in Mineola

Strength training with tires and chains may seem like the definition of unconventional to most who go to a regular gym, but not to Frank Savino, owner of Gridiron, Inc., a training facility seeking to move into Mineola.

Savino came before the last week asking for a special use permit to open an exercise, training and fitness facility at 94 Union St.

Savino had previously operated two facilities under his Gridiron banner, one in Flushing, Queens on Northern Boulevard and the second on the campus of Hofstra University, which recently closed due to the disbandment of the football team and the movement of the to SUNY Cortland.

“I’m different than a conventional gym,” Savino said. “I’m not a muscle-head place.”

Gridiron is “unconventional” in that they prescribe “functional” training similar to Strongman competitions – using chains and tires – instead of free weights, treadmills and other training apparatus at consumer gyms.

The business’s hours of operation would be from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. 

The gym emphasizes itself as a one-on-one training facility with strict 30 minute workout sessions for athletes across a variety of fitness levels and people of all ages and specializing in physical rehabilitation.

“It’s not an open gym,” Savino said, describing his business as a “strength and conditioning facility.”

Savino’s clientele includes high school athletes from , Kellenberg, Holy Cross, , several college athletes and two professionals.

According to Sal Niegle, the architect retained by Savino, the 3,966 sq. ft. facility, can accommodate a maximum of 79 occupants, but there are expected to be no more than 25 customers plus five trainers “at any one time.”

Between five to six clients would be at the facility during the day, and up to 15 during peak after school hours. Savino said that the facility does have group training with a ratio of five athletes to one trainer with 15 to 20 people working out on Saturdays.

The potential amount of customers descending upon Union Street was a concern to the members of the village board, as there exist four parking spaces in front of the building, which is also adjacent to the parking field.

Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira raised the issue about potential congestion due to the proximity of the building to the regarding the parking lot as well as the adjacent field at the and the teams that play there.

“I do not have waves of cars coming to me,” Savino said in response. “I get four, five cars; six cars at once would be ‘wow’ and a lot of the times the athletes do carpool.”

Concerns were raised by the board over the lack of a secondary egress point from the building, potentially leaving evacuees in the rear of the building next to the village-owned fence.

Trustee Lawrence Werther said it was “not acceptable” to have an opening in the village-owned fence next to the parking lot.

Savino said that a secondary exit door could be installed instead of a window in one of the locations where windows were planned.

The gym would also modify the existing lavatory to include two toilets and two showers, one of which would be handicapped accessible.

The case was labeled with a SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) resolution along with a negative declaration.  The Nassau County Planning Commission will make a judgment on the case within the next thirty days which will then come back to the Mineola Village Board.