‘iLoveKickboxing’ Lights up Essex Street Gym
G&S Sporting Goods may have rebooted, but its former headquarters is in new hands. Or should we say gloves?
Like its predecessor, the newcomer at 43 Essex Street is of the pugilistic persuasion. A gym called iLoveKickboxing.
The company, which operates 100 training sites in all 50 states, last fall signed a 15-year lease for 4,000 square-feet of commercial space. We first reported on its arrival back in October, and are only now seeing progress. Promotional announcements in the windows advertise deals and neons are burning bright.
There is also sidewalk light projection at night, which beams the brand’s logo onto the concrete slab below.
Long Islander Michael Parrella founded iLoveKickboxing in 2009. He began franchising out the business three years later.
November 2014
Before iLoveKickboxing came into the picture, the retail space had been on the market for nearly three years. All the while, drama unfolded above.
Landlord Dean Galasso was indicted in April 2017 on six felony charges in a scheme to fraudulently obtain a multi-million dollar mortgage to buy 43 Essex Street. The Zerling family behind G&S owned the building for decades until selling to Galasso in 2014 for $6.9 million. During the requisite conversion, residents were allegedly faced with a campaign of harassment. A civil lawsuit was later filed, and Galasso settled eight months later.
Recent Stories
Tenement Museum Announces New Kiosk at the ‘Market Line’
Another Lower East Side institution is joining forces with the Essex Crossing behemoth known as the Market Line. Yup, the Tenement Museum is embracing the billion-dollar mega-development with a new kiosk space in what will be the 150,000 square-foot upscale market, set to debut later this year. The booth will give visitors a chance to […]
Stopping Guns with a Mural on Stanton Street
With “Missbehave” out of the picture, gun violence is now topic of conversation on Eldridge Street. The longstanding mural – painted by Mike Giant for the Missbehave boutique over a decade ago – was deposed last month. Instead, Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra repainted this three-story replacement. And with a message, at that. An anti-gun message. […]
With ‘Gold Rush,’ Death Cab for Cutie Laments the Loss of Cities to Rapid Change
Two months ago, Death Cab for Cutie released a single called “Gold Rush.” The catchy track, which revolves around a Yoko Ono sample, focuses on a subject matter that hits close to home – the effects of rapid change on a neighborhood. Death Cab leadman, Ben Gibbard, confessed upon its release that he penned the […]
The Slow Demise of Pier 42’s Hollowed-out Shed
It’s been eight months since demolition began at the hollowed-out Pier 42 shed. In that time, there’s been steady activity but nary in the way of visible progress. The roof itself has been reduced to slats, while significant portions of the corrugated facade are gone. That this undertaking is moving at a snail’s pace, at […]
Target Cuts Ribbon at Essex Crossing Ahead of Sunday Grand Opening
Target is poised to open another small format location on the Lower East Side this week. To mark the occasion, corporate held a special ribbon-cutting event yesterday evening for store employees and community VIPs. New signage was installed just before the celebration, which also included the Target mascot. Take a look inside… Perhaps fanfare will be […]
